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Coe <br /> Legal Authority and Under Oregon's constitutional home rule powers the Eugene City Charter <br /> Restrictions on Use grants the City Council broad authority over matters within the city's <br /> boundaries. The City Council may levy fees or assessment on occupants of <br /> property benefited by particular city services. Service fees are usually <br /> authorized by ordinance, and fee levels are set to meet annual service costs. <br /> Revenue is dedicated to the purpose of the fee. <br /> A citywide fee for citywide services could be implemented without use of a <br /> special services district. The City's Stormwater and Wastewater service fees <br /> are examples of citywide fees for citywide services assessed according to <br /> benefit received by occupants of property. <br /> For services to limited areas of the city, a special services district is used. <br /> Currently, the City has two Special Service Districts formed under this <br /> authority, in the Downtown area and in the West University area, to fund <br /> particular services provided to those areas. It would be possible, though not <br /> necessary, to use a special services district that extends citywide to assess fees <br /> for street lighting service. <br /> Service fees are assessed on the benefit of the service to the occupant of the <br /> property, not on the value of property, and so do not fall under constitutional <br /> tax limitations. Service fees assessments do not contribute to property tax <br /> compression. <br /> Incidence (who pays ?) The occupant of record of each property will be liable for the fee on the <br /> property. If street lighting fees are collected along with wastewater fees, the <br /> person responsible for the water service bill will also be liable for both <br /> wastewater and street lighting fees. <br /> Fairness & Equity Fairness and equity will be advanced by adopting a fee assessment <br /> methodology that results in fees that reflect substantially different level of <br /> street lighting services in different neighborhoods of the city, as well as <br /> citywide benefits from arterial/collector lighting and local benefits from <br /> neighborhood lighting. <br /> Assessment of Financial The service fee revenues will grow naturally as new homes and <br /> Stability & Political commercial/industrial construction occurs. New development therefore can be <br /> Feasibility expected to cover its own street lighting cost, just as existing neighborhoods <br /> will cover their street lighting costs. Revenue will also be quite stable because <br /> occupancy is not subject to large swings from year to year. These <br /> characteristics are highly desirable in funding a growth - impacted and <br /> infrastructure- dependent service such as street lighting. <br /> Street lighting provides convenience and safety for motorists, pedestrians and <br /> bicyclists. Most people will probably agree that some level of street lighting is <br /> an essential service and should be funded, especially on arterial/collector <br /> streets. Establishment of a street lighting service fee would probably be <br /> politically accepted if citizens feel that the alternative may be an unacceptable <br /> reduction of street lighting services, and the fee is seen to fairly allocate costs <br /> of the service. <br /> The discussion of a street lighting fee would take place within the context of a <br /> broader discussion of the range of services that are now funded by the city's <br /> Road Fund. <br /> 2 <br />