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Special District White Paper <br /> , <br /> Local Option Levies <br /> Use of local option levies (LOL) is a strategy commonly used by cities to fund particular services <br /> beyond the constraints imposed by Measure 5 and 50. Voters in the City of Eugene have recently <br /> approved two local option levies to fund youth services and library operations. However, levies are <br /> relatively short-term and insecure solutions for funding on -going services. Levies have to be <br /> renewed or replaced with other revenue when they expire, resources must be reallocated from <br /> other services and those services must be reduced or the services the LOL funds must be <br /> terminated. <br /> New City Revenue <br /> Identification and adoption of new city revenue sources is another feasible strategy in response to <br /> current revenue constraints. New revenue sources can range from user fees to excise taxes. The <br /> City of Eugene, like other cities, will likely consider new revenue sources where and when <br /> appropriate. However, many possible new revenue sources may not provide a revenue flow that is <br /> politically acceptable, adequate and stable. <br /> Special Districts for Delivery of Urban Services <br /> This paper focuses on the use of one or more special districts as a strategy to provide adequate, <br /> stable and politically acceptable revenue for necessary urban -level services. Each type of special <br /> district is authorized by State statute to provide particular services or functions to accomplish its <br /> purpose with its own independent revenue sources. Because a special district typically has a voter- j <br /> approved permanent property tax rate limit dedicated for its purposes, a district may provide more <br /> stable and adequate funding for the district's particular services than can be provided within the <br /> City's permanent property tax rate limit, which must fund many services. <br /> In 1969 the State Legislature adopted statutes declaring that a fragmented approach had <br /> developed to public services provided by local government. The Legislature also declared that <br /> fragmentation results in duplication of public services and resistance to cooperation and is a barrier <br /> to planning implementation. Local boundary commissions were established by the 1969 Legislature <br /> as State agencies charged with guiding the creation and growth of cities and special service <br /> districts in Oregon in order to prevent illogical extensions of local government boundaries and to <br /> encourage the reorganization of overlapping govemmental agencies. These policies were intended <br /> to result in orderly development by encouraging the development of infrastructure and delivery of <br /> urban services under multi - purpose metropolitan governments. <br /> Also in 1969, comprehensive local land use plans were first required by the Legislature. In 1973, <br /> the Legislature adopted Senate Bill 100 that revised comprehensive planning requirements and <br /> detailed statewide planning goals. Local government boundary commissions were assigned <br /> responsibility to help implement this policy. However, since that time the number of boundary <br /> commissions has been reduced by the Legislature. By 2001, the only local government boundary <br /> commission in the state is the Lane County Local Govemment Boundary Commission. <br /> The Lane County Local Govemment Boundary Commission is a State agency created under ORS <br /> Chapter 199 that has jurisdiction over local govemment boundary changes for many special <br /> districts as well as cities. The Governor appoints commission members. The Boundary Commission <br /> Special Districts Paper - Final 11- 8- 01.doc Page 4 of 41 <br /> City Council Agenda page 28 <br />