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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
2023
- January 18: City Council Work Session about Alternative Response Study Phase four, final review and 13 recommendations made.
- July: Staff reinitiated work with Dialogues in Action to collect CSPT funded program system impacts.
2022
- Work Completed in 2022: See the Community Safety Citizen Advisory Board cover memo, executive summary and annual report.
- June: Work began to conduct an Alternative Response Study to assess the system for service overlap, to consider providing service in an equitable manner and to identify service gaps.
- October 10: City Council Work Session about Alternative Response Study Phase one.
- November 16: City Council Work Session about Alternative Response Study Phases two and three.
- 2022 Spending in Alignment: External audit confirms that the City was in alignment with eligible cost as described in City Council Ordinance (No. 20616) section 3.728.
2021
- Work Completed in 2021: See the Community Safety Citizen Advisory Board cover memo, executive summary and annual report.
- January: Payroll Tax Begins
- March: Community Safety Initiative Engagement Listening Sessions
- Beginning in spring 2021, staff initiated a three-phase project with Dialogues in Action to develop outcome metrics for each of the five CSI impact areas (EPD, Fire/EMS, Municipal Court, Homeless Services, Youth Prevention). Regular impact assessments are planned to begin in 2023.
- September: City Council Work Session
- October: City Council Work Session
- December: Council approved funding, in December 2021, to complete a service evaluation of the City’s Alternative Response Programs which included several receiving funding from the CSPT.
- 2021 Spending in Alignment: External audit confirms spending was in alignment with eligible cost as described in City Council Ordinance (No. 20616) section 3.728.
2020
- Work Completed in 2020: See the Community Safety Citizen Advisory Board cover memo, executive summary and annual report.
- June: The Citizen Advisory Board was formed. Created at the authority of Eugene Code 3.768, adopted on June 10, 2019, to monitor the collection and the spending of the Community Safety Initiative Payroll Tax.
- July: City Council Work Session – Council directed the City Manager to convene workshops with organizations representing communities of color to specify changes or additions to the Community Safety Initiative that would respond to the needs of their communities and to return to Council in September.
- July – Dec: Community Safety Initiative Engagement Sessions
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
- March: Community Outreach to public events started and continued through May.
- 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
2018
- February: City Council Work Session
- May: City Council Work Session and Budget Committee Meeting
- June:
- Event booths began and continued through September
- July:
- City Council Work Session - Review of Phone Survey Results
- Community Outreach to public events started and continued through November.
- September: City Council Work Session - Review of Online Survey Results, Strategy and Funding Options
- December: City Council Meeting - Council approved Fiscal Year 2019 Supplemental Budget, which includes $8.6 million in community safety system funding through June 2020
- October 11, 2021 Work Session Webcast
- October 11, 2021 Work Session PowerPoint
- September 13, 2021 Work Session Webcast
- September 13, 2021 Work Session PowerPoint
- May 10, 2021 Work Session Webcast
- May 10, 2021 Work Session PowerPoint
- July 20, 2020 Work Session Webcast
- July 20, 2020 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)
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
Videos About Funded Programs
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.