Urban renewal? Vote set

By Mary Owen

Stayton Fire Chief Jack Carriger believes citizens should become informed before voting this May on the city’s proposed Urban Renewal District.

The Stayton-Sublimity Chamber of Commerce board agrees.

The fire district and the chamber are co-sponsoring a forum presenting both sides of the issue at 6:30 p.m. April 29 at Santiam Memorial Hospital’s Freres Auditorium.

“This is an opportunity to educate people in the community about the plan,” Carriger said. “Both political action committees will have a chance to give their sides with a moderator to keep them on track.”

Stayton citizens will get their say in the May primary election thanks to a citizens group led by Jack Fiske.

Stayton Citizens for the Right to Vote collected enough signatures to place the URD, approved by the Stayton City Council in December, on the ballot.

Mary Albert, the chamber’s assistant director, said the urban renewal plan is an important issue.

“Not only does it affect the future of the entire town, but impacts financially on other community partners,” Albert said. “Both sides need to share their views in order for residents to make an informed decision.”

Several months ago, the Stayton Fire Districts board of directors passed a resolution to oppose passa
ge of the plan, which establishes a financing mechanism for carrying out the policies of the Downtown Transportation and Revitalization plan.

Carriger said the plan projects $937,203 in foregone revenue to the fire district over the next 20 years.

“And it’s open ended,” he said. “Looking at 40 years down the road, the plan will still have a devastating impact on the fire district’s budget.”

On the flip side, Chamber Director Kelly Schreiber noted that while the plan does not increase taxes for area residents, it will reallocate funds to provide for improvements that “are needed to make Stayton’s downtown more alive and vibrant.”

Both agree Stayton residents need to be informed.

“And they need to vote,” Carriger said. “The URD doesn’t just impact downtown but impacts the entire city.”

Schreiber said the chamber’s hope is that voters will attend the forum to get their questions answered by both opponents and proponents of the plan.

“If the education forum can help people decide how they will vote, then hopefully we will have more voter participation on the issue,” Schreiber said.

More than 65 Oregon cities and counties now have urban renewal plans and 90 plans are now in effect.

To initiate its plan, Stayton must provide its residents with a background report that identifies and estimates the number and assessed values of acres.

The plan must also include any deficient or blight conditions, tax increment revenues, costs of plan’s activities, the time frame to carry out projects, the time frame to pay off debt and the tax impacts of carrying out the plan.

The urban development report is available at the Stayton Planning and Development Department office and on the city’s Web site, www.staytonoregon.gov.