QuickTake:

Springfield voters will decide on a ballot measure to increase the property tax levy rate for the Willamalane Park and Recreation District in the May 19 election.

Members of the Willamalane Park and Recreation District’s board of directors unanimously decided Wednesday, Feb. 11 to place a five-year temporary levy increase on the May 19 ballot. 

The measure is intended to help stabilize finances for the Springfield district, which is experiencing increased demand for services in addition to rising costs and wages.

If passed, the measure would boost the district’s tax rate by 25 cents — from $2.0074 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $2.2574. The owner of a home with an assessed value of $196,803 (the median for homes in Springfield) would pay about $49 more annually if the measure passes. That homeowner now pays about $395 annually in property taxes for the district.

This is the first time in the district’s more than eight decades that it has sought an increase in the levy rate, Executive Director Michael Wargo told the board at its December meeting.

“We’re not going to be able to continue to do what we do right now unless we do something,” Wargo told board members then. “We cut a million dollars out of our budget last year, and there will be more cuts unless we find a way to increase our revenue sources. And the last thing I want to do is cut back on programs and services and especially how that would impact our staffing levels.”

The district estimates the new rate will generate about $1.5 million a year in additional revenue. If passed by voters, the new rate will go into effect in November and will expire June 30, 2031.

In related news, the district is also seeking a Springfield resident to serve on its budget committee during what officials called a “pivotal financial year.”

“This is one of the most important budget cycles in recent years,” Wargo said in a news release. “Citizen oversight and full transparency in how public dollars are spent will be critical in the months and years ahead.”

Applications are due Wednesday, March 4. Interested candidates can apply online at willamalane.org/budget.

Have something to say?

Send us a Letter to the Editor. Read our guidelines for Letters to the Editor here.