Oregon voters weigh tax hikes for fire, schools, and lodging

Oregonians in 27 counties will face more than 80 local ballot measures on November 3. The proposals cover a wide range of local government needs. They range from emergency services to school infrastructure and hotel taxes.

Nine counties will vote on 16 measures designed to fund rural fire districts and departments. These levies and bonds aim to address rising costs and the strain of record wildfire seasons. The state burned a record 2.1 million acres this year. Most of the fire-related measures are in southern, eastern, and central Oregon. One measure in that group would merge the Monitor and Mt. Angel Rural Fire Protection Districts.

Property taxes currently fund the bulk of local fire services. However, state measures from the 1990s limit how fast those taxes can grow. Other tax breaks, such as enterprise zones, also reduce the money available for fire departments. Umatilla County Fire District #1 is asking voters for a levy that would provide $13.9 million over five years. The district serves an area with significant data center growth.

Dave Stockdale, the Umatilla City Manager, noted the district has received about $100,000 annually from enterprise zone revenues since 2024. He explained that the department serves a small portion of the city and does not cover much of the data center activity. Kyle Sipe, president of the Umatilla County Rural Fire Protection District Board, said the agency has been asking for more money for years. He noted that the district was left out of discussions with data center developers regarding community benefit agreements.

Sipe pointed out that the town is building four-story apartments while the department lacks a ladder truck to reach the tops of them. He said the department cannot even afford a defibrillator for one of its emergency vehicles. The fire department operates on roughly $950,000 per year. Sipe stated that costs will exceed $1.1 million next year. The city currently sends the district $89,000 from a strategic investment deal and $250,000 from enterprise zone revenue each year. Stockdale added that the city also provides $85,000 worth of in-kind contributions, such as part-time administrative support.

School districts in nine counties are asking voters to approve bonds for new infrastructure. The combined cost of these projects is more than $1 billion. The districts seeking funding include Gladstone, Glide, Grants Pass, Harney County, Hillsboro, North Clackamas, Reynolds, Silver Falls, and Siuslaw. In Harney County, officials are requesting $48.7 million to build a new K-8 school and upgrade the high school. Voters in Harney County have not passed a new school bond in more than 20 years.

Voters in six cities will decide whether to tax or ban the sale of marijuana and psilocybin. Estacada and Sutherlin would ban marijuana sales if their measures pass. Joseph, Redmond, and Reedsport would ban psilocybin sales. Psilocybin has been legal for use in supervised sites statewide since 2020, but local areas can opt out. Warrenton voters will decide on a 3% sales tax on marijuana. This follows a 2015 legislative ruling that local jurisdictions cannot impose more than a 3% tax on the drug.

Columbia and Coos counties will vote on taxes for hotels and short-term stays. In Columbia County, the tax in cities that already have one would rise by 4%. Unincorporated areas would face a 13% tax on stays under 30 days. The county estimates these changes would raise up to $300,000 annually. This revenue would help avoid furloughs and staff cuts. In Bandon, Coos County, voters will decide whether to raise the lodging tax from 9.5% to 12%. Half of the revenue in both counties would go to public services, and the other half to tourism industries. In the town of Rufus, voters will decide on a 1-cent-per-gallon gas tax to fund local roads.