Measure 6-217 - Five-year local option levy to help fund jail operations

Summary

This levy will allow Coos County to avoid significant reductions in service levels over the next five years, while working to establish additional sources of revenue. A failed levy will likely trigger layoffs in the Sheriff's Office, positions that would be expensive and time-consuming to replace should new revenue sources be found. A failed levy will also likely reduce the capacity of the Coos County Jail in half, from its current capacity of 98 beds down to 49 beds. Coos County partially funded the current year's budget with the entirety of its Forest Reserve Fund; this fund will not be available next budget year. Coos County also used American Rescue Plan funds, the remainder of which must be obligated by the end of 2024 and are needed to repair the County's gas pipeline. Coos County is proposing a local option levy of $0.69 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The new levy would begin July 1, 2025, and automatically expire on June 30, 2030, unless re-approved by Coos County voters. A separate County levy for radio towers expires on June 30, 2025, which currently collects $0.20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. This means that citizens would see an increase of $0.49 per $1,000 over past years with the passage of this proposed levy. If your property is assessed at $200,000, this levy will cost $138 per year, or $11.50 per month. The expiration of the radio tower levy means that taxes will increase by only $98 per year, or $8.17 per month. If your property is assessed at $300,000, this levy will cost $207 per year, or $17.25 per month. The expiration of the radio tower levy means that taxes will increase by only $167 per year, or $13.91 per month. This levy will only be used for the jail. State law requires the County to place all funds raised by this levy in a separate, restricted fund to be used for no purpose other than to pay for jail operations. The measure requires an annual audit of this restricted fund by an independent auditor and it requires the auditor to present a report of all revenue and expenses to the Sheriff and Coos County Board of Commissioners at a public meeting.

Measure Details