Legislative Policies for the 2005 Legislative Session

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opportunities to tailor enterprise zone proposals in a way consistent with important and specific city goals and values. 4. DIVISION OF STATE LANDS Recom--- meson. The City of Eugene participated in the creation of the West Eugene Wetlands Plan which 1 • Support efforts to allow additional local flexibility to enterprise zone criteria for has become a national model for addressing Federal requirements to preserve wetland qualifying businesses. habitats. Programs administered by the Division of State Lands that support the successful administration of this plan include the Wetland Conservation Planning D• STATE BUDGET Program, technical assistance on wetlands regulatory issues, the wetland mitigation banking program, coordination with and representation in Federal wetlands policy • processes and wetlands determinations for nonprofit development proposals. Measure 50 impaired the City's ability to provide necessary services to its citizens. The City understands the constraints on the State's General Fund budget, but will oppose cuts in State 5. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY agencies that would impose substantial burdens on local government or require them to assume services cut by the State. In Eugene-Sprin tell - There are many examples where sufficient funding for Department of Environmental Oregon - is the largest employer, the community's dependence on the State's fin nctaelrstty of Quality (DEQ) programs significantly benefits local governments. These include structure and viability is profound. Local governments are more intricately associated with the State groundwater protection, toxic use and hazardous waste reduction, solid waste reduction, taxation and budgeting structure than is commonly realized. For example, the State's inability to spill-response programs, the state superfund program to clean up sites contaminated by provide adequate funding for human services has had a direct impact on cities, because the commercial or industrial use of hazardous materials, household hazardous waste demand for services did not disappear, collection, market development for recycled products, other toxic site cleanup and the sewer safety net. Adequate funding for DEQ to carry out its water quality programs is 1 • DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION extremely important for local governments. ' The City deeply appreciates the investments the citizens of Oregon have made t 6. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES the Legislature, in facilities and programs at the University of Oregon. These ~ hrough investments have allowed the University to return numerous dividends to the State Further reductions in services to at-risk youth, families, the homeless, unemployed through education, research and public service. The City encourages increas persons and persons with mental disabilities can create situations requiring police investment in higher cducation. response. Cuts in these areas also would reduce referral opportunities, resulting in reduced ability to resolve problems outside the criminal justice system. 2• DEPARTMENT OF LAND CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT The City of Eugene is opposed to State service reductions that will remove key survival ' The City supports the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DECD) services to persons unable to obtain those services elsewhere. Such reductions not only budget for the coming biennium, with special emphasis on providing continued fundin are a direct threat to the health and welfare of thousands of Oregonians, but also present of the DECD-ODOT Transportation and Growth Management Grant Pro ram full g the potential for additional burdens to local social service programs. funding of local planning grants and an increased level of technical assistance an data/research capacity within the agency. d 7. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES 3 • STATE LIBRARY The City strongly supports continued State funding for low-income housing programs, including the Oregon Housing Fund, grants to community development corporations and The City will support legislation to continue funding for the Library Link program. This funding for emergency housing services. The Emergency Housing Account has frees up Federal funds for local library development and meets the purposes of Federal supported programs such as the shelter at Centro LatinoAmericanoond the Interfaith law. The City supports State reimbursement of local libraries that lend to other libraries Emergency Shelter Program. The account is mostly depleted and needs to be more materials than they borrow, and continuation of a formula distribution of State aid replenished• to public libraries. The amount allocated is very small ($1.00 per child through age 14), but assists in providing some library services targeted to children. City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2005 Session 16 City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2005 Session 17