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Community Safety Payroll Tax Background
The Eugene City Council has worked toward long-term, stable funding for Eugene’s community safety system since February 2018. Learn more about this process by viewing Council meeting webcasts and agendas, the Community Safety Revenue Team’s final report, community survey results, a list of public outreach events and more.
Related Documents
- Timeline
- Council Presentations
- Revenue Team
- Media Coverage
- Community Surveys
- Community Outreach
- Bridge Funding
2018
- February: City Council Work Session Opens a New Window.
- May: City Council Work Session Opens a New Window. and Budget Committee Meeting
- July: City Council Work Session Opens a New Window.
- September: City Council Work Session Opens a New Window. - Review of Strategy and Funding Options
- December: City Council Meeting Opens a New Window. - Council approved Fiscal Year 2019 Supplemental Budget, which includes $8.6 million in community safety system funding through June 2020
2019
- January: Community Safety Revenue Team meetings
- February:
- Revenue Team to complete recommendation for long-term funding strategy
- City Council Work Session
- City Council discussion about the Revenue Team's recommendation
- April: City Council Work Session
- May:
- May 8 City Council Work Session
- May 28 Public Hearing about proposed ordinance for a payroll tax
- June 10: City Council Work Session
- November 25: City Council Work Session
- September 13, 2021 Work Session Webcast
- September 13, 2021 Work Session PowerPoint
- November 25, 2019 Work Session Webcast
- November 25, 2019 Work Session PowerPoint
- June 10, 2019 Work Session Webcast
- May 28, 2019 Public Hearing
- May 8, 2019 Work Session Webcast
- May 8, 2019 Work Session PowerPoint
- April 8, 2019 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- April 8, 2019 Work Session PowerPoint
- February 23, 2019 City Council Workshop
- Opens a New Window. February 13, 2019 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- February 13, 2019 Work Session PowerPoint Opens a New Window.
- Opens a New Window. December 10, 2018 Meeting Webcast Opens a New Window.
Opens a New Window. - September 26, 2018 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- September 26, 2018 Work Session PowerPoint Opens a New Window.
- July 18, 2018 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- July 18, 2018 Work Session PowerPoint Opens a New Window.
- May 16, 2018 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- May 16, 2018 Work Session PowerPoint Opens a New Window.
- Feb. 20, 2018 Work Session Webcast Opens a New Window.
- Feb. 20, 2018 Work Session PowerPoint
A Community Safety Revenue Team was formed to develop a funding recommendation for the City Manager. The team was responsible for identifying, evaluating and developing revenue funding strategies to support the needs of the Community Safety System. The Revenue Team recommended implementing a payroll tax to provide funding to support $23.6 million in community safety services on an annual basis.
Read the Revenue Team Final Report
The Community Safety Revenue Team is comprised of the following members:
- Councilor Emily Semple (Ward 1)
- Councilor Jennifer Yeh (Ward 4)
- Councilor Chris Pryor (Ward 8)
- Scott Nowicki (Budget Committee Chair)
- Eliza Kashinsky (Budget Committee member)
- Bill Whalen (Police Commission Chair)
- John Barofsky (former Budget Committee Chair)
- Laura Illig (former Budget Committee Chair)
- Police hope Eugene payroll tax will fund efforts to stop vandalism at Eugene businesses (KVAL, Nov. 7, 2019)
- An alternative to police: Mental health team responds to emergencies in Oregon (CBS Evening News, Oct. 23, 2019)
- In Cahoots: How the unlikely pairing of cops and hippies became a national model (Register-Guard, Oct. 20, 2019)
- Salem nonprofits looking at Eugene’s model for mobile crisis response (Salem Reporter, Oct. 11, 2019)
- Our View: Pass the payroll tax for public safety (Register-Guard, June 2, 2019)
- Payrolling the Police (Eugene Weekly, May 30, 2019)
- City Council Holds Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Safety Tax (KLCC, May 29, 2019)
- Proposed public safety tax gets chilly reception at hearing (Register-Guard, May 29, 2019)
- Payroll Tax Public Hearing (KEZI, May 29, 2019)
- City Payroll Tax (KVAL, May 28, 2019)
- What’s Up Eugene!? Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner (KUGN 590 Radio, May 22, 2019)
- Proposed Eugene payroll tax moves to public hearing (Register-Guard, May 8, 2019)
- Editorial: Council, pass payroll tax for public safety (Register-Guard, May 5, 2019)
- CAHOOTS Services Would Expand Under Proposed City Of Eugene Budget (KLCC, April 18, 2019)
- Proposed Eugene budget backs CAHOOTS, early literacy, wildfire danger reduction Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, April, 17, 2019)
- Skinner and Zaludek: A Critical Time for Safety Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, April 14, 2019)
Opens a New Window. - Eugene Police’s New Street Crimes Unit Staying Busy Opens a New Window. (KEZI, March 19, 2019)
- Street Crime Unit Requests Opens a New Window. (KMTR, March 19, 2019)
- Eugene police’s new Street Crimes Unit hits the streets, shuts down problem house Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Feb. 13, 2019)
- In Eugene, Street Crimes Unit launched Opens a New Window. (KLCC, Feb. 13, 2019)
- Eugene Police rolls out new Street Crimes Unit Opens a New Window. (KMTR, Feb. 13, 2019)
- New Street Crimes Unit Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Feb. 13, 2019)
- Eugene to consider payroll tax for public safety expansion Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Feb. 13, 2019)
- Opens a New Window. Public Safety Funding Plan Opens a New Window. (KVAL, Feb. 13, 2019)
- Payroll Tax for Public Safety Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Feb. 13, 2019)
- New app to fight human trafficking in Eugene Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Jan. 22, 2019)
- Q&A: The retiring judge who built Eugene’s ’second chance’ court Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Dec. 21, 2018)
- Police Camera Response Opens a New Window. (KVAL, Dec. 10, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - CAHOOTS: 24-hour service makes a difference Opens a New Window. (KLCC, Dec. 10, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Judge Wayne Allen: Retiring after 43 years at Eugene Municipal Court Opens a New Window. (KMTR, Dec. 5, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Eugene police aspire to be a 21st century partner Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Nov. 28, 2018)
- W Opens a New Window. hen Mental-Health Experts, Not Police, Are the First Responders (The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 24, 2018)
- Eugene PD Steps Up Recruiting Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Nov. 13, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Special Report: Requesting Backup Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Nov. 7, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Q&A with Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Nov. 2, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Public Safety Funding Opens a New Window. (KMTR, Sept. 28, 2018)
- City Council Eyes More Police Funds Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Sept. 28, 2018)
- Eugene City Council to commit $8.6 million to public safety Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Sept. 27, 2018)
- Eugene Police Release Video About Community Safety Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Sept. 12, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Police Seek More Funding Opens a New Window. (KEZI, Aug. 9, 2018)
- City of Eugene launches public safety survey Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, Aug. 4, 2018)
- Lack of patrol officers has new Eugene Police Chief facing tough problems Opens a New Window. (KMTR/KVAL, July 11, 2018)
Opens a New Window. - Eugene police chief orders review of patrol operations Opens a New Window. (Register-Guard, July 6, 2018)
Both a phone and online survey were conducted this summer to gain a deeper understanding of the public's thoughts and feelings about community safety.
Phone Survey
Strategy Research Institute conducted a benchmark scientific survey of 408 residents in July 2018.
Online Survey
We also received more than 2,400 responses to an online survey between July 27 and September 10, 2018. A summary of these responses was shared with the Eugene City Council at their September 26 Work Session Opens a New Window. .
Results
- Summary of phone survey results Opens a New Window. (July 2018)
- Analysis of online survey and comparison with phone survey Opens a New Window. (July-September, 2018)
- Qualitative answers to online survey:
- Question 3: "Please share your thoughts about your feelings of safety in Eugene." Opens a New Window.
- Question 17: "Are there any other outcomes that you think are important for the City Council to Consider?" Opens a New Window.
- Question 18: "Is there anything you would like to add about community safety in Eugene?" Opens a New Window.
The City strongly values community input and has reached out to the community in a variety of ways to get a better understanding of people's concerns and priorities as they relate to community safety and services.
2019
Speaker Series and Events:
- March 1: Eugene Chamber Board Meeting
- March 7: Technology Association of Oregon Board and University of Oregon Technology Partners
- April 16: Human Rights Commission
- April 17: Pearl District
- April 17: Coffee with the Chiefs at Oakway Starbucks
- April 23: Neighborhood Leaders Council Meeting
- April 24: What’s Up Eugene (KUGN) Radio Interview
- April 25: KEZI Interview
- May 1: Video Interview for Spanish Public Safety Forum (La E-Kiss Studio)
- May 2: Editorial Board Interview with The Register-Guard
- May 7: Eugene Police Foundation Breakfast
- May 14: Media Event Regarding Conestoga Huts
- May 15: League of Women Voters
- May 16: Springfield Chamber of Commerce Greeters Breakfast
- May 17: Eugene Chamber of Commerce Greeters Breakfast
2018
Event Booths:
- June 26: Farmer's Market Family Day, Park Blocks, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- July 10: Party in the Parks, Churchill Sports Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- July 12: Touch-a-Truck, Petersen Barn, 5-7:30 p.m.
- July 17: Party in the Parks, Maurie Jacobs Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- July 29: Sunday Streets, Downtown Eugene, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
- August 5: Cal Young Neighborhood Block Party, Wesley United Methodist Church, 12-3 p.m.
- August 7: Party in the Parks, Bethel Community Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- August 8: Whiteaker Community Council Ice Cream Social, 6-8 p.m.
- August 14: Party in the Parks, Washington Jefferson Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- August 16: Family Fun Night, Petersen Barn, 5:30-7 p.m.
- August 21: Party in the Parks, Arrowhead Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- September 6: 2018 Pearl Street Block Party, 5-7 p.m.
- September 7: Fiesta Cultural, Kesey Square, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
- September 9: Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association Annual Picnic, 4-7 p.m.
Speaker Series:
- July 18: League of Women Voters Wednesday
- July 24: Eugene Chamber of Commerce Board
- August 7: Eugene Rotary
- August 20: Grupo Latino Accion Directa (GLAD)
- August 22: Jewish Community Relations Council
- August 24: Eugene Chamber of Commerce Greeters
- September 7: LatinX Alliance
- September 11: Jefferson Westside Neighbors
- September 17: Northeast Neighbors Association
- September 18: Active Bethel Neighborhood Association
- October 17: Integration Network
- October 25: Friendly Area Neighborhood Association
- November 13: Fairmount Neighbors Association
Stabilize the System
The City Council in January 2019 approved "bridge funding" to help stabilize key services and work toward the full implementation of the Community Safety Initiative.
Bridge Funding Impacts
(Jan.-Nov. 2019)
Prevent
- 67 youth and families received inclusion services
- 7 new Conestoga huts, 10 more in progress
- 3rd action plan advisor added to support transitions
- 220+ served each weekend at service station
- 192 sheltered nightly at Dusk to Dawn (doubled capacity)
- 53 car camping sites (up 20%) serving 80 people
Respond
- 5 new Community Safety Officers
- 8 officers and 2 Sergeants added to new Street Crimes Unit
- 90 firearms off the street
- $40,000+ in drug money seized
- $160,000 in asset forfeiture
- 176 served by CORT, 10 sheltered in Conestoga huts
- Fully staffed 911 center
Resolve
- 3500+ cases served by court appointed attorneys
- 45% increase in Springfield jail bed use
- 32% decrease in capacity-based releases
Community Court (January through September 2019)
- 47 graduates
- 480+ community restoration hours
- 920+ walk-Ins at Help Center
Funded Programs
Specific programs in the bridge funding include:
Public Safety Services
- Adding 10 Patrol Officers to create a city-wide Street Crimes Unit
- Adding 5 Community Service Officers
- Adding 4 staff to the 911 Call Center
- Expanding jail services by 5 beds
- Funding for the Ambulance Transport gap coverage
- Funding Municipal Court and City Prosecutor services to meet growing needs
Prevention Services
- Youth Inclusion Services through Eugene’s Recreation Division
- 15th Night, a program to reduce youth homelessness by intervening before they spend 15 nights on the street (program earned Innovator of the Year and Champions for Youth awards at Register-Guard’s 2019 Innovation and Talent Celebration)
- Continuation of the Community Court program that connects non-violent offenders cited in downtown Eugene with social service providers
- Continuation of the Community Outreach Response Team (C.O.R.T), a partnership between the Eugene Police Department and White Bird Clinic that works with individuals who are frequent and repeated users of emergency and court services
Homeless Services
- A year-round Dawn to Dawn safe-sleeping program
- A Day Resource Center that provides access to storage, bathrooms, and connections to services
- On-going support for programs serving people experiencing homelessness including the Lindholm Center, the Car Camping Program, and the Rest Stop Program