The city of Eugene is considering a new fee to cover the cost of providing fire services.
Eugene Chief Financial Officer Twylla Miller said state property tax limitations have hamstrung the city’s efforts to provide enough services for its growing population.
"Our staffing has been flat and we haven't added new firefighters in many years,” Miller said. “They’re feeling the effects of that, particularly as we have impacts from wildfires, and other pressures on the service system."
The proposed fee comes in the midst of ongoing budget challenges. Over the last several years Eugene has cut library services and implemented a “hiring pause” in many departments to reduce spending.
Miller said if the city council doesn’t adopt the fee, Eugene will likely face another round of budget cuts next summer.
The fee is based on the square footage of homes, or businesses. The typical Eugene homeowner would pay $10 a month and the average commercial property owner would pay $38 a month.
Owners of small homes, under 1,500 square feet, would pay between $3 and $6 a month.
The city estimates the fee would generate about $10 million a year, which would provide a more stable source of revenue for existing services and allow the city to hire a few more firefighters.
Miller said the city is also working on a low-income fire fee assistance program - similar to the aid it already provides to low- income people who struggle to pay their water bills.
She said the fee is similar to taxes that Salem, Corvallis and Medford charge for public safety services.
“Eugene, like many other communities in the state, [has] a structural imbalance in their general fund with the tax system, and growing expenditure pressures,” Miller said.
Anyone who has a stormwater account would pay the fee, which EWEB would collect on the city’s behalf.
The public will have a chance to weigh in on the proposed fee during a public hearing on Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. at Eugene City Hall.
Miller said the city council will discuss the proposal Wednesday and will likely make a decision in December.
This story was changed on November 20, 2024 to correct the amount of money brought in from the fee.
