Special Assessment Commission member resigns, urges end to taxpayer-funded 'specials'

Al Amit, who serves on Horace's Special Assessment Commission, announced his resignation during public comment and urged the city council to end the use of publicly financed special assessments for new residential development.

Amit told the council he supported the recent policy work to govern privately funded infrastructure but said the current system still effectively subsidizes developers and leaves homebuyers unaware of the true cost of a house. "Put an end to publicly finance special assessments for new residential development," Amit said, calling them 'a subsidy for developers, period.'

He reminded council members that the Special Assessment Commission had previously passed a resolution asking the council to change the policy and said the council had not acted. Amit said he had served on the commission for nearly five years and could no longer participate in a system he described as wrong; he asked the council to accept his resignation from the Horace Special Assessment Commission.

Council members publicly thanked Amit for his service. Staff and council members expressed appreciation for his time and asked staff to consider process improvements the council discussed previously, including better tracking of resident complaints and clearer documentation around petitions and assessments.

The transcript records Amit's resignation and his appeal to end publicly financed special assessments; council made no immediate change to assessment policy at the meeting but acknowledged the concern and the historical commission resolution Amit cited.