NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF BALLOT TITLE

NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF BALLOT TITLE Filed in the Office of County Clerk 2/20/2020 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a ballot title for a measure to be referred by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners has been filed with the Columbia County Clerk on February 20, 2020. A measure election will be held within the boundaries of Columbia County on May 19, 2020. The election will be conducted by mail. The ballot title caption is: Renewal of Columbia County Jail Operating Levy Caption Renewal of Columbia County Jail Operating Levy Question Shall Columbia County renew a levy of $0.5797/$1000.00 of assessed value for four years beginning in 2021 for Jail Operations? This measure renews current local option taxes. Summary In 2014, voters approved a three year levy for all Jail operations. In 2017, voters approved a four year renewal levy for all Jail operations which will expire in 2020. 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 Funds support for the Jail has remained consistent. Federal bed rental revenue has also remained stable but is not a guaranteed revenue source. The County 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 for the Jail through 2024. The estimated money raised will be $3,179,844 in FY 2021-2022, $3,282,306 in FY 2022-2023, $3,388,069 in FY 2023-2024, and $3,497,240 in FY 2024-2025, for an estimated total Levy of $13,347,459. Any elector of the proposed district may file a petition for review of this ballot title in the Columbia County Circuit Court no later than 5:00 p.m. March 2nd, 2020 (which is the 7th business day after receipt). The challenger must notify the Columbia County Clerk’s Office in writing not later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day following the day the petition for review is filed (ORS 250.195). This notice is published pursuant to ORS 250.175(5) by Elizabeth E. Huser, Columbia County Clerk. Published February 28, 2020. CCS154913

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