Bend council hears gas tax input amid date debate

Bend’s proposed fuel tax is beginning to look like a pricey one, as a March special election would cost the city about $70,000, though it would allow a quicker move to fix up more roads. Monday evening, city councilors heard what the public had to say about the proposal.

The council has come to believe a gas is the best option to provide revenue for street maintenance and reconstruction. But voters will have the final say.

The proposed tax would generate revenue that will strictly help maintain, repair and reconstruct roads.

A handful of people voiced their opinion Monday evening, a majority of them in favor of the tax. Justin Livingston commented on the timing of a March election and the additional cost to the city.

Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship says the cost would be $60-70,000 to hold a March election, while waiting until the May primary election would not include a cost to the city.

Mayor Jim Clinton acknowledged it would cost the city to vote earlier, but in the big scheme of things, with an $80 million backlog of deferred street maintenance, it really isn’t an important consideration.

“A March election will give the city time do what it needs to do in contracting and have the work be started in the summer — otherwise we lose a whole construction season,” Clinton said.

Councilor Sally Russell suggested that even though it would cost the city, since the measure would take effect July 1 st , it would run into Bend’s summer peak tourist months, generating money from thousands of visitors.

But Councilor Casey Roats cautioned that councilors are assuming this measure would pass: “You’re supposing that it will pass, and if it doesn’t, we’ve spent $60,000 to $70,000 to hear a no,” Roats said.

Councilor Victor Chudowsky stressed that it doesn’t make sense to spend thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money when you can hold the election two months later, basically for free. And making that decision could cost them in more ways than one.

“These decisions that we make will come back to haunt you, in one way or another. It will be difficult to justify,” Chudowsky said.

Councilor Doug Knight assured Chudowsky he once thought like he did, but now he realizes that by waiting any longer than March, they’ll be costing the city more in the long run..

“You’re affording yourself the opportunity then to be able to deploy $2 million, the time difference between March and May. And that $2 million is critical. The more I studied it, the more I recognized: We need to deploy these resources now,” Knight said.

If approved by voters, the measure would take effect on July 1st. More than 20 cities in Oregon have adopted a motor vehicle fuel tax.

Clinton said since only a few turned out for Monday evening’s hearing, they’ll continue taking public input on Wednesday night.

That’s also when the council is expected to decide how much the tax will be — they are talking in the range of five to 10 cents a gallon — and when to put it on the ballot, though most appear to support a March vote. They also will decide whether to put a 10-year “sunset clause” on the tax, at which time it would need reauthorization.

Wednesday night is also when councilors will hold a public hearing on proposed regulations of marijuana businesses.

At a work session Monday night, much of the discussion was about proposed buffers between retail pot businesses. The draft ordinance up for discussion will include 1,000-foot separation between retail businesses as well as between medical dispensaries, but not require a buffer between medical and retail facilities.

Maps showing that level of buffers from existing businesses, as well as smaller (250- and 500-foot) ones, will be prepared for councilors to review.