NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF BALLOT TITLE

NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF BALLOT TITLE
Notice is hereby given that the ballot title for a measure referred by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners has been filed with the County Clerk of Columbia County on July 27, 2016.

The ballot title caption is RENEWAL OF LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR JAIL OPERATIONS- FOUR YEARS

Caption
Renewal of Local Option Levy for Jail Operations- Four Years

Question
Shall Columbia County renew a levy of $0.5797/$1000.00 of assessed value for four years beginning in 2017-2018 for Jail operations? This measure renews current local option taxes.

Summary
In 2014, voters approved a three year levy for Jail operations which will expire in 2017. The three primary funding sources for the Jail are the County’s General Fund, Federal bed rentals, and the existing Jail operating levy. Since the 2014 levy passed, the County General Fund support for the Jail has remained consistent. Federal bed rental revenue has also remained stable but is not a guaranteed revenue source. The County still cannot fully fund operation of the Jail without renewal of the levy. Prior to the 2014 levy, the County was required to reduce Jail beds for local inmates to 25, and anticipated a full closure of the Jail without the levy. The operating levy currently supports a total of 100 local beds, and funding for the constitutionally required food, clothing, management and health care for inmates. Renewal of the levy will pay for continued operation of the Jail through 2021. The estimated money raised will be $2,635,299 in FY 2018, $2,708,501 in FY 2019, $2,783,737 in FY 2020, and $2,861,063 in FY 2021, for an estimated total levy of $10,988,600.

In accordance with ORS 250.195, any elector may file petition for review of this ballot title in the Columbia County Circuit Court no later than the seventh business day after the title was filed with the county clerk (5:00 p.m. August 5, 2016).

This notice published pursuant to ORS 250.175(5) by Elizabeth E. Huser, Columbia County Clerk.
Publish 08/05/2016. SCS15853789