If you are a registered voter, you will be receiving a voter pamphlet and ballots this month for an election to be held on November 4. We encourage our readers to vote yes on both items. Because most of our area is not in a city, these countywide organizations provide us with the services we need to thrive. And yes, we know our property taxes are high. But imagine what property values and quality of life would be without vital services.

Levy to Support Countywide Library Services (Measure No. 34-345)

Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) is the primary source of funding for public library operations across the county, including Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries. (Learn more about CMBCL, including funding and services, from the latest Annual Report.) About 45% of WCCLS funding currently comes from a local option levy that will expire in June 2026.

If passed, Measure 34-345 would fund open hours, children’s programs, internet, books, eBooks, and courier services that move thousands of items every day to member libraries.

If passed, the proposed measure would authorize an increase in property taxes. The proposed measure would cost property owners $0.37 per $1,000 of assessed property value, replacing a $0.22 levy that is expiring in June 2026. The tax would continue from July 2026 through June 2031. The owner of a home assessed at $348,600 would pay approximately $129 per year, or $10.75 per month. The measure would raise $188,915,688 between July 2026 and June 2031.

What would happen if Measure 34-345 does not pass? If this measure does not pass, libraries will not receive any funding from a levy, library services would not be provided as proposed and property taxes would not be increased.

To learn more, please visit wccls.org/levy.

Levy for Countywide Public Safety Services (Measure No. 34-346)

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services throughout the county. In unincorporated areas (including most of Cedar Mill) and within the Enhanced Sheriff’s Patrol District (ESPD), Sheriff’s deputies are the primary first responders when you call 911. Inside cities, they work directly with local police to provide other services to enhance public safety throughout the county.

If the measure passes, it would authorize an increase in tax revenue which would be used to fund the following services:

• Investigating and prosecuting crimes like theft, car theft, break-ins and graffiti.

• Enhancing prosecution of child abuse and child pornography cases.

• Mental Health Response Teams that provide immediate crisis response to stabilize volatile situations and help people access care.

• Combating the impact of drugs like fentanyl and dismantling drug trafficking organizations.

• Provide funding for the Washington County Jail to incarcerate those in court-ordered custody.

• Expanded victims’ assistance and emergency programs for families harmed by domestic violence, as well as expanded programs to prevent domestic violence in the first place.

If passed, the replaced levy would set a fixed rate of $0.66 per $1,000 of assessed value, an increase of $0.19. Since voters last approved the levy, state funding has decreased, and costs have increased. The same services cannot be maintained at the current rate. Replacement helps preserve public safety and keep up with inflation. In 2026, typical homeowners with an assessed value of $348,600 would pay about $230, or $6 more per month.

Advice from Washington County Elections

Check your voter registration status and make sure your information is up to date at oregonvotes.gov. Voters should update their voter registration any time they move, change their residence or mailing address, change their name, or want to change their party affiliation. The voter registration deadline for online registration for this election is Tuesday, October 14 at 11:59 p.m.

Sign up for a ballot tracking service. You can sign up to receive Track Your Ballot alerts via text, phone, or email, so you know when your ballot has been mailed to you. After you vote and return your ballot, you will be notified when it has been received and accepted for counting by your county elections office. Voters can sign up for this FREE service at ballottrax.net/voter.

And don’t forget to vote! You can mail in your ballot or put it in a dropbox near the Cedar Mill or Bethany Libraries, or at many other locations. Dropsites are open 24/7 after ballots are mailed and remain open until 8 pm on Election Night. No postage is required.