Legislative Policies for the 2007 Oregon Legislative Session

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d City of Eugene Legislative Policies for 2007 Oregon Legislative Session City of Eugene Legislative Policies for 2007 Oregon Legislative Session university of Oregon ~ ~ FINANCING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT The University of Oregon (U of 0) and the City of Eugene are partners in many efforts. The U of 0 is Lane County's largest employer, investing millions of dollars A. TAX POLICY each year into the local economy. The City of Eugene will support the U of 0 in its The adoption and subsequent efforts to obtain stable, adequate funding to support affordable and accessible General Principles implementation of Ballot Measure 50 has public higher education for the citizens of Oregon... me state snould not take action tnat reduces revenue to cities, increases costs to .substantially changed cities' approach to cities, or preempts local authority to raise certain financial issues. With control of Eugene Water & Electric Board revenue. If the State takes any of these The City's partner in providing municipal services is the Eugene Water & Electric actions, cities should be reimbursed for lost property taxes slipping further from local Board (EWEB), which historically provides electric, water and steam services to revenues or increased costs. governments, it is imperative forcities to residents and businesses in Eugene. retain and expand both the revenue-raising Decisions about local services should authority and the revenue sources that they continue tote made at the local level. presently have. State tax policy has direct League of Oregon Cities support actions to Sustain the stability and and indirect effects on the financial welfare The City of Eugene is a member of the League of Oregon Cities. The Clty IS adequacy of local revenue sources through generally supportive of the Oregon Municipal Policy and the League's legislative positive and negative economic cycles. of Oregon s cities. I p011CIeS and pOSItIOnS. Support actions to maintain or improve the A1. Rainy Day Fund Stability of state~revenue Sources. Oregon is one of only a few states in the City of Springfield and Lane County The City of Springfield, with approximately 56,000 residents, is Lane County's The State should help cities to keep pace U.$. without an adequately funded "rainy- with the costs of growth, particularly day funds to provide revenue: stability in the second largest city and the ninth largest city in Oregon: Separated only by the infrastructure needs associated wits growth. Willamette River, the City works cooperatively with and supports its sister. city.. The event of economic downturn. The State s City of Eugene also supports its partner in county government. support the use of system Development primary general-fund revenue source is the Charges (SDCs) to fund capital income tax, which fluctuates with the improvements for police, fire, schools and economy. These income tax revenues Lane TranSlt DIStrICt other local government services affected by The Ciry of Eugene works in partnership with Lane Transit District (LTD) to support new development. vvere positive during the years of a strong a complete transportation system, including meeting the transportation needs of economy in most of Oregon, but lately people who cannot drive their own vehicles. The City is committed to achieving the proven inadequate to support continuing... regional goal of reducing vehicle-miles-traveled in the Eugene-Springfield area by levels of state services while the economy supporting a transit alternative to a single occupancy vehicle. is in a slow period. While stability of the state revenue system does not have adollar-for-dollar impact on 4J and Bethel School Districts cities, in the current economic downturn it is possible that state programs of importance to The City has a policy of establishing partnerships with other jurisdictions to provide.: cities could falter. Cities as well as other local governments will likely suffer reductions in .school-related services and other community youth services. Strong schools are state shared revenue as well as increased demands for services due to reductions in state necessary for a strong community. The Ciry strongly supports actions by the programs. Legislature to address critical school funding needs. An adequate "rainy day fund" has been identified as a critical way for the State to offset Lane Community College sudden reduction in revenues. It would not provide complete revenue replacement to the The City of Eugene supports Lane Community College (LCC) in efforts to obtain state Burin economic difficulties, but would rovide some cushion for existin eneral stable, adequate funding for affordable and accessible public higher education for 9 p 9 9 the citizens of Oregon. LCC has the third largest enrollment of the 17 community fund programs if funding were to drop precipitously. State shared revenues could also be college in Oregon. The college has been rated one of the toptwo-year colleges in protected during an economic downturn if such a fund was in place. The State's current America and has received many awards and accolades for its innovative programs: financial difficulties would clearly have been lessened if, in more prosperous times, the :legislature had set aside surplus revenues in such a fund. and. high quality instruction. 6 7