Public comment: Find common ground on city budget

Presenter: Several public comments on the fire fee Monday night asked the Eugene City Council to seek common ground. Our first four speakers did not spare their criticism. Greg Fitz-Gerald:

[00:00:11] Greg Fitz-Gerald: I am Greg Fitz-Gerald. I hope I’m speaking for many in our city.

[00:00:16] The so-called ‘fire service fee’ is deeply flawed. I’ll focus but on just two of the many problems. First, my career in financial services in New York, we all knew it’s illegal to make false and misleading claims to close the deal. That’s exactly what’s been done here.

[00:00:32] You say this $10 million fee goes for fire services. Technically, that’s true, but it’s highly misleading because, here is the trick: You add $10 million to the fire budget and quietly pull $10 million out the back door. So Fire gets nothing new. You get more cash to spend elsewhere. That’s a misleading deception.

[00:00:52] Second, you tell us that if we don’t give you this new money, you’ll cut the library, the pool, the police. That’s one of the oldest bargaining tricks in budget negotiations there is. There’s even a legal word for it. Threatening harm to get what you want is extortion.

[00:01:10] To find cuts, you ignored most of the $750 million budget and went straight to the programs people care about most, just to scare us. It didn’t have to be this way. Budgeting takes courage and experience.

[00:01:26] My career as treasurer of American Express and Chief Financial Officer of Merrill Lynch, I’ve had to cut budgets. I’ve dealt in these things, big ones. I know how to do it without gutting public service or our community’s assets. It can be done.

[00:01:39] I would say there are many talented people here in Eugene, many business people, many nonprofit leaders, all of whom want to help, all of whom understand budgeting, and I believe will help us do the right way to budget. But do it right: Be honest, drop the threats, and please, let’s get a proper budget.

[00:02:00] Presenter: Critical of moving City Hall into the old EWEB building, Dan Patch.

[00:02:05] Dan Patch: Dan Patch. Madam Mayor, you have a morality crisis on your hands.

[00:02:11] You have members in your council that are out soliciting funds from public and other groups to fund this SOS (Save Our Services) campaign, and they’re not being honest. They’re trying to fund these obviously valuable services, but they’re not disclosing to these people, they’re also going to be eliminating the future right of us to vote on anything in the future. That’s being omitted.

[00:02:36] I wonder if Mr. DeFazio was made aware of that before he spoke at the most recent meeting for SOS. It’s just disingenuous. It’s a lie. Lies can be what you say and they can also be what you don’t say. So your members on your board are doing some real shenanigans behind your back.

[00:02:57] Now obviously this whole thing about financial crisis here is made, self-made, by the city manager. It’s either incompetence or it’s funny business with the math, buying things that you can’t afford, buying brand-new houses that you can’t afford, while you just trash all of our programs. That’s what you did.

[00:03:20] Isn’t it funny that the amount of deficit is the same amount of money you paid for this building? And if you hadn’t bought a brand-new house, maybe we wouldn’t be here.

[00:03:28] I mean, it really is self-causing, and it’s gross incompetence and trickery from the city manager’s office. There needs to be an audit of how this building was purchased, and I think the public would be shocked.

[00:03:43] Presenter: After speaking briefly about CAHOOTS, Stefan Strek:

[00:03:47] Stefan Strek: This city cannot manage a billion-dollar budget to make essential services last. It’s a disgusting level of waste and negligence and incompetence. Really truly.

[00:04:02] And the building we’re in today actually really expresses that. We were supposed to have a brand new City Hall, which was going to be built where the old one was, 40% of the materials were supposed to be recycled from the old building. That didn’t happen. And that’s quite questionable. So instead, we have a glorified utility building that can’t even fit a decent audience.

[00:04:32] And we’re going to continue cutting necessary services for people who could die without them. Just down at the park blocks the shelter was removed because too many poor destitute people were huddling underneath it to get out of the rain, City Manager, that seems like an odd cruel and heartless solution to the eyesore of poverty is to remove shelter from those who have no place else to go.

[00:05:03] Presenter: Scott Oakley:

[00:05:04] Scott Oakley: Scott Oakley. I do support the fire service fee. I understand that there are issues with funding here in Eugene. I understand that at this point, because this has been forced onto the ballot, you have most likely already instructed the Budget Committee to find $11 million worth of cuts.

[00:05:25] However, we here in Eugene, we consider ourselves a left-of-center progressive community. You do not need to cut our community. You need to find other places to cut that money.

[00:05:41] Curtail some capital improvement projects. Find some other things that you had planned to purchase that you can put off. Do whatever you can to support our community. Keep our parks open. Keep our pools open. Keep all the employees that will potentially be fired under this budget situation employed. Many of them are only part-time employees have no benefits and they are just surviving on those funds. Find the money to support CAHOOTS.

[00:06:18] My gosh, this is just plain ridiculous. There are places you can find money and you need to do it other than cutting our community. If you expect the left-of-center progressive community of Eugene to support you, then you need to support us and our community.

[00:06:42] I understand there are problems with the revenue collection. I understand that Measures 5 and 50 were basically designed to slowly strangle our community and it effectively has done so. So I think there’s something else that needs to be done.

[00:06:58] Yes, we need to support the fire service fee, but we also need to start mounting an effort to repeal (Measures) 5 and 50 and give control back to the local people who should have control over revenue creation and support our community.

[00:07:17] Presenter: One local nonprofit executive spoke in favor of the fee. From Greenhill Humane Society, Cary Lieberman:

[00:07:23] Cary Lieberman (Greenhill Humane Society): My name is Cary Lieberman. I’m deeply concerned about our city’s budget. The revenues brought in through taxes and fees don’t match the rising costs of running the city, maintaining critical infrastructure, and providing the vital services that keep Eugene safe, healthy, and livable.

[00:07:39] Without raising more revenue, there will be an impact on programs and services that thousands in our community rely on every day.

[00:07:47] In difficult times, it may seem easiest to begin with cuts, but for many in our community, the unhoused, the elderly, and families living paycheck to paycheck, even minor reductions in public services can have devastating, sometimes irreversible consequences.

[00:08:04] As someone whose organization serves both vulnerable people and animals, and collaborates with dozens of nonprofits, supporting low-income residents, seniors, youth, and individuals in crisis, I can tell you plainly we cannot afford to lose essential city services. These services are lifelines, not luxuries.

[00:08:16] Public buildings and spaces aren’t just symbolic. People depend on them. Nonprofits rely on accessible city spaces to deliver services effectively. During disasters, ice storms, wildfires, heat waves, those same city buildings become life-saving havens. If those doors are closed or understaffed, the results could be tragic.

[00:08:38] Cutting city services would be short-sighted. While it may offer temporary savings on paper, the long-term cost socially and financially will be far greater. When nonprofits like Green Hill partner with the city, we multiply the impact through private donations and volunteers.

[00:08:54] However, undermining our ability to operate would only push those costs back onto the city, onto our community, and result in an increase in suffering for most vulnerable community members. I strongly support the implementation of new revenue strategies, starting with the fire service fee. If needed, I urge you to place it on the ballot this August.

[00:09:14] It’s a modest investment that will sustain critical services for all of us. The funds stay here in Eugene and support programs we rely on every day. When the time comes this community will be behind you and vote to support the fire fee.

[00:09:29] Presenter: One speaker honored the referendum process. Mike McFarlane:

[00:09:33] Mike McFarlane: My name is Mike McFarlane. I’m just going to do a quick recap of your last work session and send a few thanks.

[00:09:40] Kaarin (Knudson), you’re sounding like a mayor. It’s so wonderful to see you up there talking about how we have to work together. We literally have got to stop fighting in the streets. And to hear the mayor say that, and I believe it, is great to hear.

[00:09:57] (Councilors) Randy (Groves) and Eliza (Kashinsky), thank you for bringing up the process of the fire fee and the referendum that got brought through. It is now 8,400 people have spoken and we need to honor that. So thank you both.

[00:10:15] Because I feel really strongly about this process I actually did participate in both referendums that was brought when the council said we don’t really want people to vote.

[00:10:28] And I really wish I could have brought the faces of all the people that I talked to when I try to explain the fire fee. It is one of the hardest things for people to understand and you need to realize that that is difficult. So I wish I could bring you and show you the confusion out there behind that but it it’s not but it’s not good process and we really need to rethink it.

[00:10:53] I fear that a lot of people aren’t going to be able to be heard on the fire fee and I wondered if we could just get a little hands up for the people that feel like the voters should have a say in this. Thank you and good night.

[00:11:12] Presenter: Two speakers represented the Eugene Chamber of Commerce:

[00:11:16] Brittany Quick-Warner: My name is Brittany Quick-Warner, I’m the CEO of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce and I appreciate the opportunity to share our perspective. Thank you for sending the time a little bit too.

[00:11:25] Let me start by saying this. We care deeply about this city, its people, its economy, its businesses, its future. Our Chamber has stood by the city for years, supporting funding for essential services like public safety, parks, roads, libraries, and working on critical issues like downtown revitalization, homelessness, riverfront redevelopment, airport expansion, to name a few. That commitment has not changed.

[00:11:52] We also recognize the very real challenges you face today. We’ve had the honor as a community to have an incredible leader in Sarah Medary at the helm as city manager for the last several years through a series of impossible situations.

[00:12:04] And yet again, we find ourselves in another difficult situation with tough decisions ahead regarding the physical sustainability of our community. We hear from our businesses and our community members every day. They are worried. Not just about one fee, but about what lies ahead: a cooling economy, increasing costs, and uncertainty about how they’re going to keep their doors open and their families afloat.

[00:12:26] Now is not the time to add new financial burdens without clear time-bound plans and public accountability. Many Eugene residents, over 8,400 of them, signed a petition to bring this issue to a public vote. That’s not obstructionism. That’s community and civic engagement at its best.

[00:12:42] These are not just business owners. They’re families and educators and workers and retirees, and they’re saying, ‘Let us be a part of the solution. Let us have a say in permanent costs to our families.’

[00:12:52] We know the contention of a citizen-led initiative public vote. That was never our first choice, and we don’t think it’s the best-case scenario. We still believe there’s a better way.

[00:13:01] Let’s reset the conversation and come together to find budget reductions. Let’s enlist community and business leaders to co-create a sustainable plan that prioritizes the services we know we need. Let’s focus on efforts to proactively expand our current tax base to meet growing community needs like housing and economic development. And let’s give the public a chance to weigh in on any new permanent fees…

[00:13:24] It’s not a moment to double down on what divides us, it’s a time to pull together. And I truly believe Eugene has the people and the values and the will to find a better, more united solution. Thanks.

[00:13:34] Tiffany Monroe: My name is Tiffany Monroe. I work for the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce.

[00:13:38] I’m here to respectfully urge the City Council to repeal the fire fee and begin the important and difficult work of aligning our budget with existing revenues.

[00:13:50] The current budget shortfall is the result of long-term trends. For some time, the cost of delivering city services has grown faster than the revenues that support them. In the last five years, general fund expenses have increased about 3% annually, while revenues have grown at only 2.6%.

[00:14:10] The pattern of expenses consistently outpacing revenues points to two broader issues. First, the need for more deliberate prioritization of services to fit within our current financial reality, and second, the desperate need to expand our tax base through growing community needs.

[00:14:30] I know many of you have been talking about these goals for years and the fact that these conversations are still going generates frustration from the public. The proposed fire fee, while well-intended, is not the right tool for this moment, especially when so many families and businesses are uncertain about their financial futures.

We now need a renewed commitment to long-term solutions that include having a hard conversation about service levels and investments. And it means making economic growth—such as housing expansion—a true priority.

[00:15:04] I’m confident that with shifts in focus in that direction the city will find willing partners among those that have signed the referral effort. We all want the same things (I think tonight that’s been very clear and stated by all of you) so that we can have a Eugene that we want for all of us. We can get there if we all work together through transparency, clarity, and shared purpose.

[00:15:27] Presenter: Two local business leaders shared their perspectives. Erik Parrish:

[00:15:32] Erik Parrish: My name is Erik Parrish. As a 43-year resident of Eugene, having lived or worked in every Ward, I’m deeply invested in our community. Today I’m here to express my concerns about the Eugene fire service fee and its potential impact on small businesses like mine.

[00:15:47] I serve as the CFO of Deployed Logix, a 12-year-old business out west Eugene that manufactures rapid deployment shelters for rescue services including fire departments nationwide. Founded by two individuals, we’ve grown significantly and now employ 120 people across three facilities all here in Eugene.

[00:16:05] This new fee will affect us in two ways. One, as a business, we’ll have to absorb the cost without passing it on to customers, meaning cuts elsewhere in our budget.

[00:16:15] Two, our employees, who will also pay the fee, may need higher wages to offset the burden. Unlike larger companies, we cannot simply raise prices or quickly find new revenue streams. Instead we’ll have to innovate, streamline operations, and make tough budget decisions to maintain profitability and future growth, all while staying rooted here in Eugene.

[00:16:34] As a CPA, I’ve spent my career helping small family-owned businesses manage budgets. The key is prioritizing core services, like emergency services, investing in revenue-generating initiatives like economic development and finding efficiencies in supporting services.

[00:16:50] My request is that I urge the city to repeal this ordinance and instead take a strategic approach, aligning expenses with revenues through innovation and prioritization, just as businesses must do.

[00:17:02] Presenter: Ethan Clevenger:

[00:17:04] Ethan Clevenger: I’m Ethan Clevenger. The crux of the conversation happening in our community about the pending fire fee ordinance is not about whether or not you like public pools or libraries (or, as it turns out, CAHOOTS) or how important that you think those things are. Most folks in this room would prioritize those things in a bucket of basic community services that we should be providing.

[00:17:25] The crux of this conversation rather has for months been and still is about who’s responsible for establishing budget priorities for our community, when did they do it, and how do they do it.

[00:17:35] But with a lack of leadership from Council, it feels we were mired in a conversation about basic services instead. The community has in fact spent $90,000 so far on a vote that nobody wants to have.

[00:17:47] City budgeting is hard, and I will be the first to defend that our city is the victim of upstream revenue limitations. I’ll be the first in line to ask for structural fixes at the state level. But I’ve also heard the speaker clearly say that fixing our property tax system is not a priority for this year’s session. And so this is the landscape we must adapt to.

[00:18:05] Despite that reality, no one insisted on a balanced budget from the budget committee in the first place. We’ve not established and implemented priorities for our budget to try and match revenue.

[00:18:14] As a governing body, you could have saved our services a couple of months ago by brokering a limited version of the fire fee that was lobbied for during that time. And now we’re here tonight commenting without an actual budget proposal in front of us that’s not due until the 30th.

[00:18:30] So in November I get to decide: Do I vote ‘Yes’ and in a way sign off on the process that got us here for this new revenue stream? Or do I vote ‘No’ to ensure my frustration is heard and hope that a better process emerges to ensure we only briefly have to weather unconscionable cuts to the services, the services that have been floated, because I don’t get to give direction to city staff and committees and shape this process.

[00:18:53] All I get is what will turn out to be a very expensive ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay’ vote that no one wants. I don’t think that’s a position we deserve to be put in and I don’t feel that you’ve led the city through this process. Negotiating with organized constituencies is part of the job and it feels that we’ve decided to roll the dice on a petition and a subsequent vote potentially with basic community services instead.

[00:19:13] I would ask that you repeal this ordinance quickly put something forward with guardrails on it to mitigate the damage and immediately begin work on a thorough and transparent process that prioritizes our spending before asking this community for additional revenue on all of the basic services that we are working to protect.

[00:19:29] Presenter: Five speakers asked the city to come together in discussion to find common ground. Greg Erwin.

[00:19:35] Greg Erwin: My name is Greg Erwin.

[00:19:36] I’m here this evening to simply express my great desire to see our community come together to problem -solve, and set an intentional course for long -term prosperity for as many Eugenians as possible.

[00:19:50] As a local business owner, I strongly believe that the robust collaborative relationship between the business community, local governmental leadership, and the community at large can provide an opportunity to better leverage the financial, intellectual, and physical resources which abound here in Eugene…

[00:20:12] The intent of the Elevate movement is for the business community to be more engaged in thoughtful and respectful dialogue with all of you, furthering the ongoing enhancement of this wonderful place we all call home.

[00:20:28] In my 42 years in business in Eugene, we have never seen more enthusiasm and willingness by the business community to work together and work with you. We are prepared to roll up our sleeves and work side by side with you to create new and innovative methodologies and solutions.

[00:20:44] A moment for partnership; a moment for humility; a moment for listening: This is a critical moment for our community.

[00:20:52] Presenter: John Barofsky.

[00:20:53] John Barofsky: I’m here to speak with you about the budget issues that you’ll be contemplating in the coming weeks. I am someone who has had the ability to look at this issue from several perspectives: as a member of the revenue team, an elected official that may be called upon to facilitate collection of a fee, a small business owner, Chamber of Commerce member, as well as a resident of Eugene.

[00:21:19] I’m concerned about the situation that we find ourselves in as a community. It is my hope that you will be able to balance the many needs and priorities that the community wants and expects with the resources available, and if additional revenue is a needed option, work with partners to come to a solution that brings the community together in a timely fashion.

[00:21:44] Presenter: Phil Farrington.

[00:21:46] Phil Farrington: Phil Farrington. The city of Eugene, like all cities across Oregon, has been really dealt a pretty bad hand. Oregon does a really sorry job of funding public infrastructure of all kinds, everything from school to CAHOOTS to all public services.

[00:22:01] The fact that the proposed fire services fee that you’ve developed has been referred to the voters shouldn’t really come as any surprise to you. The same or many similar factors facing the city’s budget are the same ones that businesses and households have been facing in Eugene.

[00:22:17] Proposing another fee without an end date or with little or no cap on its potential increase was a bridge too far for too many in the community. And they’ll represent it as a way of addressing a structural deficit, the fee really doesn’t solve the underpinning problem of mismatching available resources with the needs for public resources, public services, and infrastructure of all kinds.

[00:22:38] Allowing 5% annual increases authorized administratively, or by any amount by the council without public approval, doesn’t give the public comfort that their funds will be necessarily applied to priority services the community needs.

[00:22:50] So I have two suggestions. One, that the fee that you propose be one for (if you do propose one), that it be for a limited and specific duration. And then in the meantime, you work with all other cities across Oregon, all of the jurisdictions to lobby the legislature for an enduring solution to the structural deficit.

[00:23:06] And two, the city take a step back and do a deep analysis of services, performance, and value in a broader community collaboration, rather than just wholesale cutting. I don’t think DOGE-ing this kind of a budget is going to do us any good whatsoever. Such steps along the way should go a long ways toward promoting transparency in budget budgeting and governance and foster trust that the city is optimizing use of public resources.

[00:23:31] Presenter: Jasmine Hatmaker:

[00:23:33] Jasmine Hatmaker: My name is Jasmine Hatmaker. I want to focus on what I believe is at the heart of this conversation: how we build a city budget that actually works, not just this year, but five, 10 and 20 years from now.

[00:23:47] The fire service fee may address an immediate need, but it doesn’t solve the root issue. Eugene has a structural budget deficit and this fee is a Band -Aid, not a cure. We can’t keep patching holes while avoiding the harder but necessary conversations about long -term fiscal strategy.

[00:24:06] What we need instead is a priority -based budgeting process, one that looks at what services we truly need, like cahoots, what we can afford, and how we make those two things match. That’s going to take courage and it’s going to leadership. It’s time to change course. No one wants to see this become a divisive ballot fight, especially when there are urgent budget decisions ahead.

[00:24:32] I’m asking the council to repeal the ordinance and pursue an alternative path that includes a serious look at deeper, more strategic cuts. Let’s also bring more voices into the room. A budget advisory committee made up of independent financial experts, community members and business leaders could help restore public trust and surface creative solutions that haven’t yet been considered.

[00:25:00] We all want Eugene to thrive. Let’s take the harder road now to build a stronger foundation for the future.

[00:25:08] Presenter: Ralph Parshall:

[00:25:10] Ralph Parshall: I moved to Eugene in 1970, met my wife, raised our three children, and was a member of many organizations and boards that have helped shape our community. I also want to express my gratitude to everyone in this room today, residents who have taken the time to participate in these discussions. Democracy thrives when voices are heard and your engagement shows the strength of our community and our shared commitment to shaping a better future.

[00:25:37] Today I want to highlight an issue that affects every one of us, the city budget. We understand that resources are limited and difficult decisions must be made to ensure that essential services remain strong while addressing new and involving needs.

[00:25:52] But as expenses continue to ride, adjustments are necessary. We must look carefully at our spending, identify the areas where we can be most efficient, and ensure the taxpayer dollars are being used wisely to serve our community. This means rethinking our priorities, exploring innovative solutions, and finding ways to make our budget work better for the people of Eugene.

[00:26:16] I urge the City Council to take a proactive approach, engaging with residents, listening to our concerns, and crafting a budget that reflects both fiscal responsibility and the values of our community.  

[00:26:28] We have an opportunity to strengthen Eugene to address financial challenges with transparency and forward -thinking strategy. Together with thoughtful planning and collaboration, we can ensure that our city remains vibrant, sustainable, and financially secure.    

[00:26:45] Presenter: Public comments April 14 urge Eugene city councilors to change course, be open to discussion and compromise, and search for common ground.

[00:26:55] This story produced by John Q and sponsored through the Whole Community Time Bank by generous listeners at KEPW 97.3, Eugene’s PeaceWorks Community Radio.