Hood River County Public Safety Levy is up for renewal

Hood River County’s Public Safety Levy is set to expire on June 30, 2025. In the upcoming November 2024 General Election, voters will decide whether to renew the levy for another five years. During a special meeting on July 18th, the Hood River County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to refer the proposed Public Safety Levy renewal to County voters. The renewal aims to ensure that essential public safety services and related services continue at their current levels.

The 2020 Levy enabled the County to construct secure entrance at the County Courthouse. Renewal of the Public Safety Levy will continue this high level of staffed Courthouse security.

If approved, the ballot measure will renew the existing levy at the current rate of .78 per $1000 of assessed property value. In May 2020, Hood River County voters approved a five-year operating levy to address the County’s serious budget shortfall that had led to limited services and forced it to utilize reserves to sustain operations. The revenue from this operating levy was dedicated to public safety services, allowing the County to retain staff, extend patrol hours to 24/7 coverage, support criminal investigations, prosecution, emergency management, courthouse security, and retain services across the county. After voters approved the property tax levy, the County was able to cease using reserves while still being conservative with taxpayer funds.

The County’s population has increased 19.6% since 2000, and public safety staffing levels have struggled to keep pace without additional funding. When the number of patrol deputies does not keep pace with population growth, call response times are slower, and the Sheriff cannot safely staff law enforcement patrol to provide 24/7 coverage countywide. The Sheriff’s Office continues to experience increases in call volume, with a 24% increase in calls between 2021 and 2023. Calls have also increased in complexity due to the number of behavioral health calls. Approval of this measure would retain staffing levels to support 24/7 patrol coverage and operational support, preserving current service levels.

Approval of this measure would also maintain current levels of criminal justice services. These services include child abuse and domestic violence investigations, transporting prisoners, courthouse security, and criminal prosecution services in conjunction with the District Attorney. With the levy’s passage in 2020, the District Attorney’s office was spared additional budget cuts, while the Juvenile Department was able to restore a position.

Without approval of this measure, public safety positions may be eliminated, leading to insufficient staffing for 24/7 coverage. Further service reductions may be needed in the Sheriff’s Office and countywide.

Before becoming a commissioner, Ed Weathers served on the County Budget Committee. During the June 17th Board of Commissioners meeting, he emphasized that the initial levy was intended to maintain existing services rather than increase them. Commissioner Weathers stated, "I remember the County had been relying on reserves to function. Without voter approval of the levy, Hood River County would be in a very different situation today. If the levy renewal isn't successful, the discussion will not be about keeping pre-levy services, it will take a drastically different turn." Without the approval of this measure, public safety positions would likely be reduced, and the Sheriff’s Office may not have the resources for 24/7 patrol coverage. Further cuts in services would be likely in the Sheriff’s Office and countywide due to the budget shortfall.

Emergency response and coordination with other agencies during disasters would be less robust with out the levy renewal

Hood River County has one of the lowest permanent property tax rates in the State, and 75% of the County is exempt from property tax collection (see map). Hood River County’s permanent tax rate is $1.42 per $1000 assessed value, making it the 9th of all 36 counties in Oregon. Comparatively, the permanent tax rates in neighboring counties are Wasco County $4.25, Multnomah County $4.34, and Clackamas County $2.98. While timber funds help fund County operations, the cost of providing public safety and supporting various other County services exceeds the funds available.

For this renewal, passing the measure would not increase the current tax rate of $0.78 per $1,000 assessed value. The levy cost would be about $169.77 per year, or $14.15 per month, based on the median assessed home value in Hood River County. To calculate the tax on your property, refer to your property tax statement for your Total Assessed Value. For example, if your Total Assessed Value is $192,250, your annual tax would be around 192.25 x 0.78 = $149.96. According to Hood River County’s Director of Records & Assessment, Brian Beebe, the most recent County median Real Market Value for a home is $514,560 resulting in an estimated Assessed Value of $217,659 on which property taxes are based.