City of Oakridge, Oregon Five-Year Public Safety Operations Local Tax
Question: Shall Oakridge impose $2.73 per $1000 of assessed value for five years beginning July 1, 2021-2022 for Public Safety Services?
This is a five-year levy, submitted to the voters by the Council. The City would use the tax revenue to continue to provide police and emergency services to the community at the current level. Without this levy or revenue taken from other sources, the City would have to find reductions in the city budget beyond those made for taken fiscal year 2020-2021. Public safety services are the most significant expenditures in the city budget, and these services would likely have to be reduced to provide a balanced budget. This levy would allow the City to maintain its Advanced Life Support Level 1 ambulance transport service and provide a police force of four officers, one sergeant and a police chief. During the period of the levy, the City would work with Lane County to develop a more efficient ambulance service so the City budget would be sustainable following the levy expiration.