Associated Students Legislative Council met Wednesday night to discuss costly and concrete matters.

At its meeting last night, A.S. Leg Council listened to a financial report from its executive director Don Daves-Rougeaux and evaluated a resolution opposing the annexation of Highway 217 by the city of Goleta. Off-campus Representative Sarah Hooper also made a follow-up presentation on renovation of Sands Path.

Daves-Rougeaux discussed the soon to be completed A.S. budget for the 2003-04 school year in his report.

“We’ve still got a couple final details to work out,” Daves-Rougeaux said.

He said A.S. administrators were strongly considering an 8 and 10 percent recharge rate on lock-in fees to help offset A.S.’s continued budget woes. He added that A.S. would be looking at a budget deficit of “about $5,000” next year.

The 8 percent recharge rate would be levied against organizations that use UC employees to file paperwork and do accounting, while all other A.S.-affiliated organizations would be subject to the 10 percent recharge rate. The current recharge rate is 6 percent.

This proposed increase would help A.S.’s financial situation but would also take money away from student organizations already hurt by a shortage of funds available to them through A.S. Finance Board.

Later in the meeting, Hooper reported to Leg Council about progress on the Sands Path renovation. Leg Council passed a resolution last week urging UCSB to renovate the path.

“[UCSB] is not willing to pay [for renovation],” Hooper said. “It’s not on its radar.”

Shoreline Preservation Fund is considering using its funds for maintenance of the path, Hooper said.

“[Maintenance] is a UC obligation, but we’re willing to pay. This is important to the health and safety of students,” Hooper said.

In other news, Leg Council passed a resolution opposing Goleta’s designs for Highway 217. Goleta’s current plan is to annex Highway 217 and put in stoplights or a roundabout to slow traffic down and draw shoppers to Old Town Goleta.

“Highway 217 is a pivotal connection linking UCSB to … all of California,” the resolution said. “The … annexation of [Highway] 217 … would greatly affect the lives of the students, staff and faculty of UCSB.”