June 15th City Council decision of community interest - Strategy to fund two new facilities and anticipated budget gap

[ami...@willamettewatershed.com]

Dear Community Members,

 

Although the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition does not take positions on public policy, we do encourage community members to become informed and engaged on issues of community interest.

 

An item of community interest is coming up on Monday evening, June 15, when the Corvallis City Council will vote on a resolution to determine a financial strategy direction focused on two key challenges:

1. Investing in a new City Hall (Civic Campus) and a new Police Station, and
2. Addressing a funding gap that is anticipated during the next two-year budget cycle.

 

Background

 

• For the past several years, City Council has been discussing the need to improve city facilities, beginning with a 2021 facility needs assessment focused on 17 separate City buildings.
• Council identified four priority projects: Civic Campus (including demolition of City Hall), Police Station, Park Maintenance Facility, and Fire Station 1 remodel.
• To date, Fire Station 2 and Fire Station 3 have been completely renovated, and a new Park Maintenance Facility is being constructed in Avery Park.
• This year, Council has been engaged in identifying a funding source for the Civic Campus and Police Station, as well as how to deal with a pending budget gap. They have decided to combine the funding needs for both issues, and potential funding sources have focused on a Payroll Tax and a Personal Income Tax.
• Recently, Council has been discussing the financial advantages of building a new City Hall and a new Police Station concurrently, rather than sequentially.

 

(For more detailed background information, see Investing in Corvallis Facility Needs | Corvallis Oregon.)

 

Resolution to Pursue a Funding Strategy

 

City staff recommends that City Council adopt a resolution on 6/15/26 to pursue a strategy to address the budget gap and funding for a new City Hall (Civic Campus) and a new Police Station. The proposed strategy has six points, including the following:

• Pursuit of both a Payroll Tax and Personal Income tax “to spread the cost burden across the many segments of the public who live or work in Corvallis in a more equitable manner.”
• “With a more refined funding strategy yet to come, the Council has not made a determination whether to refer the final decision on a Payroll Tax and/or Income Tax to the voters.”

 

To read the staff report and the complete resolution, go to pages 96 through 101 of the City Council packet.

 

If you would like to address this City Council agenda item as an individual, you may send your testimony to any of the following:

• Mayor and City Council – mayoran...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Your individual city councilor (If you’re not sure what ward you live in, go to Ward Boundary Maps | Corvallis Oregon.)
• Ward 1 – jan.n...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 2 – briae...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 3 – jim.moo...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 4 – ava....@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 5 – charly...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 6 – alison...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 7 – paul.s...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 8 – carolyn...@corvallisoregon.gov
• Ward 9 – tony....@corvallisoregon.gov

 

The deadline to register for oral testimony and to submit written comments for the June 15^th City Council meeting is 12:00 pm on 06/15/26. You may register online (www.corvallisoregon.gov/publicinput), via mail (ATTN: City Recorder, P.O. Box 1083, Corvallis, OR 97333-1083), or by telephone (541-766-6901 ext. 3).

 

Thank you for your interest and participation in this process.

 

Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Steering Committee