Polk County Voters Approve School Funding Measure

Polk County, Oregon, voters faced a five-year property tax levy to fund operations and overdue repairs at the county fairgrounds in Rickreall. The levy would cost 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, raising an estimated $1 million in its first year and $5.4 million over five years; a home assessed at $250,000 would incur about $30 annually. County leaders warned the fairgrounds could close if the measure failed, potentially eliminating a site used as an emergency gathering place, including during the 2020 wildfires. The levy was among the measures on the county’s 2026 election ballot.