The Metro Council is tentatively scheduled to decide on Dec. 18 whether to pursue a property tax levy to fund maintenance at its parks and natural areas.
A draft resolution calls for the levy to be on the ballot next May.
Councilors were briefed Tuesday on public engagement surrounding the levy, and a working draft of the levy's framework was released as part of the council's work session agenda.
The draft resolution for the levy says it's "for the purpose of preserving water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and maintaining Metro's parks and natural areas for the public." The attached framework lists how staff propose to select projects for funding through the levy.
Earlier this month, Metro sponsored a telephone poll of voters in the region to gauge their opinions on a possible levy. DHM Research, conducted the poll of 800 likely voters in the Portland region.
Adam Davis, one of the firm's principals, said he was struck by the number of voters who didn't immediately make up their mind on the proposal.
In the survey's initial question, 48 percent of respondents said they'd vote yes for a local option levy to maintain natural areas and improve water quality with annual audits. Twelve percent said they'd vote against it, and 41 percent were undecided.
"I was struck, and my colleagues were really struck, that it wasn't a 'Hell no,' right out of the box," Davis said.
Respondents were asked again at the end of the survey – after hearing information about the levy proposal – whether they'd support a levy. In the second ask about the levy, support increased to 61 percent, opposition increased to 27 percent and 12 percent remained undecided.
The DHM poll found that 57 percent of respondents supported the proposal when informed that it would cost about $20 a year for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000. That contrasted with survey respondents who were asked about the levy in the context of it being $0.09 per $1,000 of assessed value – that failed to get a majority of support even though it would cost taxpayers less.
Councilor Barbara Roberts was encouraged by the polling, in the wake of what she called anti-government messages in local and national campaigns this past summer and autumn.
"I can't think of a more difficult time to ask these questions that you chose," Roberts said. "I feel fairly comfortable this reflects a population that just heard the anti-government, anti-tax message for a couple of months – and we still got these results. That for me is a pretty important evaluation of how clear the message is."
Davis said the polling data is in line with past research he's done on Oregon voters – that they place a high priority on environmental preservation.
When pollsters ask about what residents value about living in their community, "the number one thing we hear about is natural beauty," Davis said. "They know what an incredible state we have and their community is in this incredible state."
The Metro Council hasn't yet decided on how much to ask for if it goes forward with a levy. That's scheduled for a conversation at another work session next week.
An advisory committee recommended last summer that Metro ask for 10 to 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or $20 to $24 a year from the owner of a home assessed at $200,000.