No on 26-225: We pay millions for parks we can’t use

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

VOTE ON ON 26-225—VOTE NO ON NEW MONEY FOR METRO

Metro is asking for a new tax levy despite the fact that it already has sufficient funds to operate all its parks.

Metro’s budgets show, over the past 10 years:

• Property tax collections have increased 169% from $39 million to more than $105 million.

• Spending on its parks and nature program has grown by nearly 175% from $48 million to $117 million.

Unfortunately, much of this money is not even being used to improve public access to Metro’s parks. In fact, most of Metro’s 18,000 acres of parklands are not open to use by taxpayers.

NO NEW METRO TAXES

In 2016, Metro imposed $81 million in property taxes for parks and nature.

In 2019, Metro imposed another $475 million in property taxes for parks and nature.

In 2020, Metro imposed two new income taxes amounting to $250 million a year for “supportive housing services.”

Again, in 2020, Metro tried to impose another $250 million in payroll taxes to build light rail to Bridgeport Village. By then, voters had enough and voted NO.

It’s time to VOTE NO again.

Many Metro parks properties are gated and locked; most have inadequate signage so no one can find them. Many are far outside the urban growth boundary. Some are miles away from public transit.

Even if you are lucky enough to find a Metro park, don’t even think about bringing your dog. Metro prohibits dogs and other pets on virtually all its parklands. But, if you’re rich enough to own a horse or mountain bike, Metro’s newest park has 10 miles of trails for horseback riding and mountain biking. This is an elitist concept of parks and nature.

Metro’s parks program is awash in tax money. There is no justification for this property tax levy, regardless of its stated purpose.