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City Council - 7 - October 29, 1998 • Rental Housing Owners (1) • Retail business (1) • Past Elected Officials (2) • A member of the 1992-93 Public Advisory Task Force - Revenue Sub -committee (1) Other City Council Policy Considerations The City Council requested staff to identify a low-income discount program in addition to the various cost reduction measures. Staff has researched the low-income, life -line programs offered by PG&E, PacBell, and EBMUD. In addition, discount programs offered by Waste Management in two of their contract service areas were checked out for applicability in the City. Waste Management allows discounts in both Oakland and Castro Valley for eligible customers. The City Attorney is researching the legality under Proposition 218 for public utility users to subsidize the service of others (i.e., low-income) users. If this subsidy is not possible and the City Council wishes to proceed, the subsidy would by necessity come from the General Fund as a subvention to each Enterprise Fund. This item would be reviewed by the Citizen Committee. CONCLUSION Three of the City's Enterprise Funds were identified to have funding shortfalls for FY98-99, namely, the Refuse Enterprise Fund, Water Pollution Control Enterprise Fund, and the Storm Water Enterprise Fund. With regard to the Storm Water Enterprise Fund, the implementation of the change in street sweeping service delivery and the shift of expenditures to non -General Fund funds will result in this fund being balanced for FY98-99. With regard to the Water Pollution Control Enterprise Fund, there have been two recent studies on the feasibility of alternatives for providing sewer service. Based on the findings of these two studies and because of the complexity of the meet -and -confer issues associated with addressing the issues of the Water Pollution Control Enterprise Fund, it is recommended that further analyses on this fund be conducted after the Refuse Enterprise Fund issues are resolved. Finally, it is recommended that the City focus on correcting the Refuse Enterprise Fund issues at this time. To that end, the next steps to be taken are: 1. City Council to give direction by motion to proceed with implementing all recommendations included in this staff report. 2. Staff to meet with the affected employee association on an informal basis to discuss reductions in service delivery levels. 3. Mayor to appoint Ad Hoc Committee of the City Council to nominate citizens for the Refuse Enterprise Fund review committee 4. Ad Hoc Nominating Committee meet to formulate recommendations