Salem-Keizer Transit District Asking Voters to Approve Funding Levy

The Oregon Secretary of State sent out more than two million ballots on Friday.

Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM) - WHAT IS MEASURE 24-238? The ballot measure is a five-year special option tax, in the amount of 60 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, that would provide funds to the Salem-Keizer Transit District beginning November 2007 to maintain the current transit services in the urban area, restore some of the services from the September 2006 reductions, and add new services as specified in the District's Strategic Plan. The measure would generate approximately $6.8 million (before compression is accounted for) in the 2007-08 fiscal year, and could change to some degree in the subsequent four years depending upon the District-wide property valuation. The five-year special option revenues would be added to the District's existing permanent tax base of 76 cents per thousand dollars, through FY 2011-12 only. HOW MUCH WOULD THE MEASURE COST? Using the property tax levy rate of 60 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, the owner of a $200,000 home would pay $120 in the 2007-08 tax year. The measure would not impact a property owner's taxes that are due in November 2006. The levy would be in place for five years, and would then expire. (Persons can estimate their '07-'08 tax by taking their assessed value divided by 1000, times $0.60 -- properties in compression would have a lower tax) WHAT EFFECT WOULD "COMPRESSION" HAVE? Properties that are in compression (have a tax rate that is at the maximum allowance of $10 per $1000 of real market value) would pay less than the full rate, resulting in less taxes being collected for the District than the measure allows. Without compression the levy would generate an estimated $6.8 million in '07-'08, and with compression the levy would generate approximately $6.1 million. WHAT SERVICES WOULD THE MEASURE FUND? The majority of the levy…about $84 of the $120 noted above…would be used to maintain the current level of transit services in Salem and Keizer and restore some of the services reduced this September. The levy proposal would provide the following new services over the next five years: Sunday service - operating on a limited schedule from approximately 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. 15-minute frequencies on two more routes that are experiencing overcrowding Development of two neighborhood transit centers, served by smaller, more frequent buses Continued new bus shelters Sunday service for riders with disabilities, on CherryLift Increased maintenance on bus stops and shelters, district-wide WHEN WOULD SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS BEGIN? Sunday service would begin in July 2007. The other service additions outlined above would be phased in later in 2007 and in 2008.