Polk County voters being asked to pay more to maintain services in 2023 election

Would you pay more for the same thing?

Voters in Polk County are being asked to do that in the May election when it comes to police officers and public safety.

In the private sector, it’s called inflation. In the public sector, it’s called increased personnel costs.

The county is asking voters to approve an increase in property taxes – to 49.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value from 42.5 cents per $1,000 – to pay for the same level of officers and staff members in the jail and district attorney’s office.

Regardless of whether the levy passes, the results won't be felt immediately.

“We aren’t hiring any additional people,” Polk County administrative officer Greg Hansen said. “It’s maintaining what the old levy is supporting. This is just basically the cost of doing business for the next three to five years.”

Ballots for the May 16 election are scheduled to be mailed April 26.

Polk County is one of several taxing districts in Marion and Polk counties trying to pass operations levies or bonds in this election.

Public safety levies have a complicated history in Polk County.

Polk County tried to pass the first levy in 2013, but it resoundingly failed. As a result, the county had to cut back its patrols to about 10 hours per day.

It passed its first levy in 2015 and restored around-the-clock police patrols. It passed another – the one that taxes at 42.5 cents – in 2019. That one runs through 2024.

Hansen says it pays for 24 positions, including 14 police officers, five staff members in the district attorney’s office and five staff members in the jail.

But, Hansen said, costs for personnel have increased significantly since 2019. He said increases in retirement, insurance and raises for employees have made it more expensive for the county to operate.

“I would love to say you’re getting a bunch of additional officers and that, but we didn’t want to put that burden on the taxpayer because, believe me, we had requests,” Hansen said.

If voters pass this levy, it will replace the previous levy and run through 2028.

If it doesn’t, the previous levy will still be in effect for another year.

“If we waited until the fifth year and it failed, we’d be laying off probably 15 to 20 people and we’d be losing all of that DPSST training and all of that institutional knowledge that they’ve acquired over the year,” Hansen said. “It would take probably a year and a half to two years to gear back up again.”

Hansen said the cost of the increase for someone with a house that is assessed at $300,000 would be $21 a year.

The levy is estimated to raise $20.7 million over the five years.

The majority of the 89,000 people who live in Polk County live in the cities, including West Salem, Dallas, Independence and Monmouth, all of which have their own police forces. But they’re the ones who would pay for the services.

Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies often assist city law enforcement and manage coverage of unincorporated areas, such as just outside of Salem's western city limits.

“We probably have a bigger presence in West Salem than any other incorporated area, other than our home of Dallas, which we’re driving through,” Hansen said.

Polk County Fire District 1 levy

The Polk County fire district based in Independence is seeking to pass a bigger operations levy to replace the current levy.

It is trying to pass a five-year 78 cent per $1,000 operations levy. The current levy, which was passed in 2019, taxes property owners at a rate of 19 cents per $1,000. That's an increase of about $47 per year on a house with an assessed value of $250,000.

The levy is estimated to raise $7.1 million over the five years.

If passed, the district said, it will hire firefighters and paramedics to staff an additional ambulance or fire engine 24 hours per day. It also would fund daytime firefighters during the summer fire season.

In addition, the levy would pay to replace two ambulances that are projected to need replacement in the next five years.

The district covers Monmouth and Independence, unincorporated communities including Buena Vista, Arlie and Pedee and large parts of southern unincorporated Polk County.

Gervais school bond

The school district north of Salem is trying to pass a bond for the second time in a year.

This time, Gervais is seeking $24.4 million in bonds for improvements throughout the district. A year ago, the district’s $31 million bond failed.

The school district has been given a $4 million grant from the state. But it can only be used if the bond measure is approved.

The 25-year bond would increase taxes by $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed value for property tax owners. That's an increase of about $492 per year on a house assessed at $250,000.

The money raised would be used to pay for improvements in safety, security and technology at the district’s schools.

Among the items it would pay for are a new multipurpose building for cafeteria, kitchen and science classroom and office space.

It would also fund improvements for the high, middle and elementary schools including heating and cooling, entries, ADA accessibility, roof, and seismic upgrades.

Aurora Rural Fire Protection District levy

The district is seeking to pass a five-year levy to hire three additional firefighters or paramedics.

The levy would raise $11.5 million over the next five years.

The new levy would tax property owners in the 64-square-mile district $1.98 per $1,000 of assessed value and replace the current 99 cents per $1,000 levy. That's an increase of about $247 per year on a house valued at $250,000.

The district is seeking to increase its paid staffing to three full-time firefighters at all times from two.

Mt. Angel School district bond

The district is asking voters to pass a $7 million bond that would run for the next 20 years to fund building improvements.

If voters pass the bond measure, property owners would be charged $1.12 per $1,000 of assessed value. That's an increase of about $280 per year on a house valued at $250,000.

If the bond passes, the district will receive a $4 million grant from the state.

The bond money would replace air filtration systems, door locks, increase security cameras, replace lighting and plumbing, repair roofs and improve drainage at all of the district’s schools.

It also would repair the sewer lines in the concession stand, replace windows, repair bathrooms and replace the fire sprinkler system.

Gates Rural Fire Protection District levy

The district is trying to pass a four-year levy that would continue the current levy at 90 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over the next four years.

That would raise an estimated $270,000.

The district, which has one paid part-time employee in chief Jack Carriger, is trying to raise money to pay to keep its all-volunteer firefighter force with equipment and apparatus.

Monitor Fire Protection District levy

The district is trying to pass a five-year levy that would tax property owners 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value levy. That would increase taxes about $125 per year on a house valued at $250,000.

The district covers 34 square miles of unincorporated Marion County between Woodburn and Mt. Angel.

The estimated $810,000 the levy would raise would be used to purchase equipment including uniforms and air packs, and support increased operating costs for items such as insurance, dispatch and fuel.

Bill Poehler covers Marion County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Election: Polk County asked to pay more to maintain services