The Eugene City Council will vote next Monday on a proposed ordinance that would instigate a four-year income tax to aid public schools.
Because of budget shortfalls in both the Eugene and Bethel School District, the city council recently passed a resolution for a proposed income tax to raise funds for the schools.
The city council hopes this will alleviate the school budgets by approximately $16.8 million annually, which would help schools on the brink of closing and prevent employee layoffs and increases in class sizes.
Hillary Johnson, the campaign chair for Strong Schools, Strong Eugene, pointed out that this is not a new tax, as it has been implemented in the past by cities such as Portland.
“The average family will pay $120 a year for this tax, which is a lot less than the child care for those furlough days,” Johnson said.
Sarah Case, a teacher in the 4J School District, said that not only are teachers being laid off — physical education, as well as social studies teachers in elementary schools are being let go — but valuable programs are disappearing.
“It’s simply not possible for kids to learn and thrive in this adverse environment,” Case said.
But the ordinance has received complaints about its wording.
Mark Callahan, who has two daughters in 4J, worries that future changes to the ordinance can be made by the city council without consulting the voters.
“I’m concerned that by proposing these ordinance editions … this council is effectively putting the cart before the horse,” Callahan said, “being that the vote on the proposed city income tax is over a month away and, as you are well aware, is a highly emotionally charged issue.”
Callahan thinks the city tax will violate state law regarding the financing of public schools.
“I’m one of the folks on the council who fully supports the measure,” City Councilor Alan Zelenka said. “It’s the legislature’s responsibility to fund schools, but they failed us.”
Ian McNeely, University associate professor of history, said the issue is not limited to Eugene, but it’s a statewide and nationwide issue.
“When the United States gets a cold, Oregon gets the flu, and when the United States gets the flu, Oregon winds up in the emergency room,” McNeely said, illustrating the nation’s grim public school-funding situation.
While the income tax would not drastically change the education in Eugene, it will send a message to the legislature and other communities that Eugene, as a city, can fix this, McNeely said.
“I am one of nearly 1,800 faculty members at the University of Oregon. Many of us have children in Eugene’s schools,” McNeely wrote to the Strong Schools, Strong Eugene campaign. “Even those of us who don’t, have chosen to live here because education is our life’s work. The economy of this city — and its identity — depends on education. Fortunately, Eugene has the means and the will to sustain our schools through this crisis.”
Although the city council will soon vote on this ordinance, the changes will only come into effect if the ballot measure is approved in the May 17 special election.
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City council vote looms for Eugene public schools tax
Daily Emerald
April 20, 2011
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