Public Safety Operating Levy Key Facts

Re-authorization of the levy on the ballot for May 16th, 2023

This is a status quo request, as we don't plan to increase or decrease the number of employees this levy provides.   By going out a year early (2023), the new levy would replace the 5th year of the existing levy and start over at a cost of 49.5 cents per thousand of assessed value.  The purpose of going out a year early is to provide stability and continuity for all the staff who have been already hired for these positions covered under the levy.  

How much will this new levy cost?  For a property with assessed value of $250,000, the cost would be approximately $123 per year, a $17 increase from the previous levy. 

Public Safety Operating Levy History

First Levy (2015)

A 5 year Public Safety Levy passed by voters in May 2015 for up to .45 cents per thousand of assessed value.

This levy allowed for the hiring of 24 Full Time Employees (FTE) between the Sheriff’s Office (patrol and the jail) and the District Attorney’s Office in addition to the rental of two (2) juvenile detention beds.  Below is a breakdown of the hiring within the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office:

• 14 Patrol Deputies
• 5  FTE in the Jail (Deputies/Civilian staff)
• 5 FTE in the District Attorney’s Office (Prosecutors and support staff)
   

The board of commissioners applied any timber payments or money received from the Federal  Government that was in lieu of O & C Timber Funds or Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding to reduce the levied amount.  The county has not levied the full amount at any point during the operating levy.  Below is a breakdown by budget year of the levied amounts by year:

July 2015 through June 2016  .308* cents per thousand was assessed.
July 2016 through June 2017  .319* cents per thousand was assessed.
July 2017 through June 2018  .378* cents per thousand was assessed.
July 2018 through June 2019 . 330* cents per thousand will be assessed

Key dates and promises kept:

• July 2015 the District Attorney's Office hired 3 prosecutors
• January 2016 the Sheriff’s Office moved from 10 hours of patrol to 20 hours of patrol per day.
• July 2016 the Sheriff’s Office restored 24 hour patrols
• July 2016 the Polk County Inter Agency Narcotics Team (POINT) was restored
• By July 2016 Two court security positions were restored.
• In September of 2016 the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) was established to help deliver critical mental health services to those who are in crisis, delivered to where they are.  
• In September of 2016 the Sheriff's Office created a School Resource Deputy Position 
• In 2017 the Sheriff's Office established the only cell phone and electronic evidence lab in Polk County, which processes evidence for the Sheriff's Office and the Monmouth, Independence, Grand Ronde and Dallas Police Departments.
• In the Sheriff's Office, by July of 2017 all positions promised within the levy were filled
• By the end of 2017 all the positions within the District Attorney's Office were filled 

^{*In years 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the levy, we received a small amount of federal timber payments, which the Board of Commissioners have applied to help offset the levied amount.}

2nd Levy/renewal (2019)

In 2019, voters re-authorized the levy in the amount of 42.5 cents per thousand of assessed value, with no staffing changes.  This was for 5 years and is set to expire in June of 2024.  By going out a year early, the new levy would replace the 5th year of the existing levy and start over at a cost of 49.5 cents per thousand of assessed value.