HomeMy Public PortalAboutOpen Space Committee (15) Open Space Committee
Minutes
January 5, 2004
Roll Call — Richard Anderson, Pat Davison, Beth Christman, John Eaton, Beth
Ingalls, Steve Randall, Lynn Saunders, Hugh Williams, Steve Frisch, and Steve
Wright.
Review of Potential Open Space revenue sources —the committee discussed the
pros and cons of a variety of possible funding sources for the acquisition and
maintenance of open space. Those revenue sources included property based
assessment districts, sales taxes (both mandatory and voluntary), TOT taxes,
developer impact fees, real property transfer taxes, business license taxes,
redevelopment agency funds, utility user taxes, admissions taxes and developer
exactions. Committee members reached consensus on deleting voluntary sales
taxes, business license taxes, redevelopment funds and utility users taxes from
consideration related to this ballot measure. All others would be "left on the table"
for further discussion with the polling firm.
General philosophical discussion revolved around how to define "fairness" when
considering any particular revenue source and the possibility that more than one
source may be appropriate for consideration. This discussion also included a
need to balance the issues of what was fair versus what would pass. There was
also discussion on whether the Committee should first come up with a specific
desired amount of funding that was needed prior to initiating polling efforts. There
was noconsensus on this matter.
The next meeting should be used to meet with a potential polling firm to help
define the variety of issues that may need to be polled. The Committee felt that
the issues of the types of financing mechanisms, the "pain threshold" of
taxpayers, a definition of the type of administrative authority to oversee these
funds and specifically what types of open space the public would like to acquire
should be the discussion points for that meeting.