Voters in Black Butte Ranch have approved a local option tax to maintain its current level of police services.
The tax will be $.65 per $1,000 of assessed property value, meaning someone with a $500,000 home will pay about $27 per month.
The levy was approved by more than 75% of the voters in BBR, a small resort community about 15 miles west of Sisters. It will generate about $2.4 million through 2024-2025.
About 75% of the budget is spent on payroll for the seven sworn officers and one administrator on staff.
The new levy will replace the current, expiring levy voters approved 10 years ago and renewed in 2015.
Meanwhile, in La Pine voters rejected a local option levy to help fund the Park & Recreation District.
The measure would have cost about $54 per year for the average property owners with an assessed value (not market value) of $200,000.
Overall, it would have generated about $1.2 million over the next five years.
The District provides after-school, youth and adult programs to the greater La Pine Community. It also operates and maintains the La Pine Community Center, Heritage Park, the Finley Butte Ball Fields and community meeting room, Rosland Campground and Day Use river area, and Leona Park with river access.
The district said in the voters’ pamphlet that if the levy fails, program fees would increase and some programs would be eliminated. Additionally, the backlog of some deferred maintenance projects would not be addressed.
