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The other revenue source, 911 Fee, is currently under legal challenge and is limited to cost <br />recovery, as has been reported to Council earlier. Given these factors, staff recommends no <br />changes to the 911 Fee. <br />Potential Long -Term Revenue Strategies <br />The revenue options discussed above are in response to current revenue shortfall. To address <br />this challenge the City may increase revenues; reduce expenditures or some combination of the <br />two. Unfortunately, unless there is some fundamental shift in the City's revenue base, a <br />substantial part of the City's revenues will continue to be subject to the business cycle. Building <br />reserves during the "good years" is certainly one approach to dealing with this issue. Another <br />approach might be to consider the City's role in providing certain services. <br />The City is very proud of its Parks and Recreation program. Given the nature of the service and <br />its importance to the community, it may be appropriate to consider a different, more stable <br />revenue source to fund all or a portion of this important area. For example, a Joint Powers <br />Agreement (JPA) could be formed with the local school district and park and recreation district <br />to which the facilities maintenance and development component could be transferred.. The JPA <br />could then seek to form a benefit assessment district to fund the program. Such a move would <br />consolidate like activities such as maintenance and development of facilities and achieve a more <br />stable revenue base. <br />Staff does not offer this alternative in the context of the current City budget. However, staff does <br />believe that addressing both long term and immediate revenue needs will reduce the number and <br />severity of future "revenue emergencies". <br />