Eugene manager presents amended 2025–27 budget with $11.5 million shortfall; cuts to libraries, pools, animal services and staff proposed

City Manager Sarah Medary and Chief Financial Officer Twyla Miller presented the City of Eugene’s amended proposed 2025–27 biennial budget to the Eugene Budget Committee on May 7, laying out an $11.5 million structural gap and a set of reductions and one‑time investments intended to stabilize reserves and balance the two‑year plan.

The presentation said the full amended proposed budget across all city funds is about $1.6 billion (two years), with a general fund budget of $446.5 million. Medary and Miller told the committee that property tax, EWEB’s contribution in lieu of taxes (SILT) and service charges make up roughly 85% of general fund revenue, with property taxes alone representing about 71% of that revenue stream.

Why it matters: Eugene’s general fund revenues are not keeping pace with escalating expenses—driven by inflation, rising PERS (Public Employees’ Retirement System) employer costs, and growing service demand—forcing further reductions after more than a decade of cost‑cutting. The amended proposal retains some one‑time savings to shore up reserves but would reduce ongoing service capacity across multiple departments if adopted.

Most important details

- Size and gap: The amended proposal shows an $11.5 million shortfall for the 2025–27 biennium after earlier reductions and proposed ongoing additions the Council asked staff to consider. The city previously implemented about $91 million in budget adjustments since 2020. Twyla Miller said, “property taxes, EWEB’s SILT, and service charges, are our top 3 revenue sources in our general fund.”

- Major program and service impacts: The amended draft reduces or eliminates programs across…