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Eugene debate over proposed fire service fee intensifies as residents press council for alternatives
Summary
Dozens of speakers at the April 14 Eugene City Council meeting addressed the proposed fire service fee and the broader question of how the city should close a projected general‑fund gap.
Dozens of speakers at the April 14 Eugene City Council meeting addressed a proposed "fire service fee" (an ordinance the council had placed before the public) and the broader question of how to close a projected general‑fund gap. Business groups, nonprofit leaders and residents urged different approaches — some urged adoption of the fee to avoid cuts, others urged repeal and a longer‑term budget strategy with community input.
Many residents pointed to an active petition campaign. Brittany (Bridal) Quick Warner, CEO of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, told the council: "Many Eugene residents, over 8,400 of them, signed a petition to bring this issue to a public vote." Speakers from multiple sectors framed the fee as a choice between immediate service preservation and a democratic review by voters.
Why it matters: Councilors said the city faces a…
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