City gets wish list for job creation.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

They met eight times in four months, listened to experts, pored over previous studies and debated economic policies. Late last week, Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey's Committee on Economic Development put the finishing touches on a list of ideas members believe could help Eugene's often-maligned business climate.

The 15-member citizens group said the city should:

Participate in a study with Springfield and Lane County to see if Eugene and the metro area have enough commercial and industrial land.

Simplify its often complex land use rules.

Hire a staff person to help firms navigate the bureaucratic maze.

Establish an enterprise zone in West Eugene, where qualified companies could get tax breaks in exchange for creating jobs.

Support further study of urban renewal districts for economic development.

Maintain quality infrastructure, such as streets and sewers, to foster business expansion.

After the committee votes on the recommendations on Friday, they will go to the mayor and City Council, which could ultimately adopt them, change them, or ignore them.

Economic development - the creation of jobs - has become a priority in Eugene.

Torrey, in his last year as mayor, appointed the committee. Economic development rose to the top of the spring mayoral campaign between Kitty Piercy and Nancy Nathanson, largely because Piercy proposed her own economic ideas.

Criticism of tax waivers for the Hynix computer chip plant in west Eugene led the city to let the west Eugene enterprise zone lapse in 1997.

In her plan, Piercy liked the idea of an enterprise zone but wanted the city to be able to set standards, such as pay levels and environmental goals, that companies would have to meet in order to qualify for tax breaks.

In their draft report, members of Torrey's committee said they tried to find ways to link enterprise zone benefits to environmentally friendly policies. However, committee members agreed that promoting sustainability would be better addressed by encouraging redevelopment of existing sites. State laws governing enterprise zones "appear to be amenable" to taking wages into consideration when determining tax breaks for eligible firms, the committee said.