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Eugene council debates alternatives to fire fee after referendum petition; sets follow-up work sessions
Summary
The Eugene City Council spent the bulk of its April 21 work session weighing alternatives to the proposed fire fee after a referendum petition referred the measure to voters, discussed possible sunset and oversight options, deadlines for an August or November election and use of one-time reserves, and directed staff to return with draft options.
The Eugene City Council on April 21 continued a wide-ranging work-session discussion about options in response to Referendum Petition 2025-1, the citizen referral of the council-approved fire fee. Councilors debated whether to keep the fee as an ongoing revenue source, adopt a time-limited (“sunset”) version, broaden how revenue could be used, or repeal the ordinance and seek a different funding approach. City staff were directed to return with draft alternatives and the council set follow-up work sessions for April 28 and May 14.
City Manager (unnamed) framed the discussion as a council-led exploration of “what an alternative path might look like,” noting council had previously requested additional time to consider options. The city manager said staff could present ordinance drafts or decision-point outlines on the requested timeline but cautioned that fully vetted financial modeling would be limited by ongoing budget work.
Why it matters: The fee was intended to close a near-term gap in the city’s general fund and to support fire services; referral by voters means the measure will appear on a future ballot unless the council repeals the ordinance…
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