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Cities Work Cooperatively with ODOT to Collect Local Gas Tax Starting August 1 <br /> The cities of Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove have signed agreements with the Oregon Department of <br /> Transportation Fuels Tax Group to collect new local gas taxes in the three cities starting August 1. Each of the cities <br /> passed ordinances earlier this year establishing a 3-cent-per-gallon motor vehicle fuels tax to help maintain city streets. <br /> ODOT currently is responsible for collecting state and federal gas taxes in Oregon. In exchange for having ODOT also <br /> ,ollect the local tax, the cities agreed to pay ODOT the actual costs of administration and enforcement. <br /> Eugene hopes to raise approximately $2 million per year from its local gas tax. The money is dedicated to the <br /> preservation of City-owned streets. Currently, Eugene has a backlog of approximately $93 million in needed street repair <br /> projects. The first group of gas-tax-funded street repair projects is scheduled to be done this summer, including work on <br /> portions of Echo Hollow Road, 18th Avenue, 29th Avenue, 30th Avenue, Patterson Street, Cal Young Road and Gilham <br /> Road. <br /> The cities worked cooperatively with ODOT to develop a fact sheet that has been sent to fuel distributors throughout the <br /> region as well as to local service station owners. A copy of the fact sheet has been posted on Eugene's Web site at <br /> www.ci.eugene.or.us/pw/streets. The motor vehicle fuel tax is levied on dealers who bring gasoline or diesel fuel into the <br /> City for sale, use or distribution. The amount of the federal, state and local gas taxes paid by the dealers usually is <br /> passed along to retailers, who typically add the amount to the price of a gallon of gas at the pump. For more information <br /> about the local gas tax, contact Financial Analyst Patricia Boyle at 682-8417 or Public Works Public Affairs Manager Eric <br /> Jones at 682-5523. <br /> Thousands of Spring Flowers Bring Vibrant Color to Eugene <br /> Public Works Landscape and Median crews planted more than 5,720 annuals and perennials throughout the city this <br /> season, adorning community centers, parks and street medians with flowers of many colors. This is in addition to the <br /> about 6,000 annuals, perennials and bulbs and many wildflowers that crews have already planted this year. <br /> According to Park Specialist Houston Sheppard, the flowers <br /> enhance the quality of life for the residents of Eugene. `_ i <br /> "People thank us for the flowers on nearly a daily basis," says • = II ,'; <br /> Sheppard. "One person said that the median floral displays r>c I '� <br /> help make her commutes more enjoyable when she's stuck in ,__. <br /> M^• sr <br /> .raffic going to and from work." • <br /> .,._.._ - y•rte.......7V7 <br /> 'tio <br /> The landscape crews' commitment to beautifying the city <br /> dates back to a community initiative called "Project City Pride: f j ,'.' <br /> Make Eugene a Blooming Success" in the mid-1980s. The 041, 1 4; <br /> landscape crews have kept the spirit of this initiative alive by t , <br /> continuing to partner with the community throughout the ,, ! +Sf+ Of ,"� <br /> years. In the early 1990s, seniors in the carpentry class at fid,;,«; >¢ <br /> Campbell Senior Center used scrap lumber to create wooden 411,0 <br /> frames for fiberglass-lined planters donated by Lane County; <br /> local nurseries donated flowers; and the enhanced planters <br /> were placed at community centers around the city. "A few of these planters—all made by volunteers—are still holding up <br /> today, after many years of use and enjoyment," says Campbell Senior Center Director Rita Kingsbury. Kingsbury also <br /> observes that rental of the center for weddings has increased as the landscaping has flourished. <br /> More recently, the landscape crew salvaged concrete planter bowls from the Broadway opening project and used them to <br /> replace deteriorating wooden planters at a variety of locations around the city. For more information about median <br /> landscaping, call Park Specialist Dave Edwards at 682-4825. For more information about community center landscaping, <br /> call Park Specialist Joanne Glore at 682-4825. <br /> (THIS WEEK <br /> 07/04 F July 4"' Holiday– City Offices Closed <br /> INEXT WEEK <br /> )7/07 M Noon G Pape Housing Policy Board Sheldon Village Community Rm. ** <br /> PAGE 2 <br /> EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER <br />