BEND, OR -- Deschutes County voters may be asked to approve a new property tax in November. "The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District is your local government, without your local funding," says district board Co-Chair Jeff Rola. DSWCD's budget comes from state and federal sources. Those grants, he says, are often restricted to certain uses and can be inconsistent. Rola tells KBND News a levy could provide stability, "We are looking at that option because, if you may have noticed, there’s a drought that’s been ongoing for the last 20 years, the risk of catastrophic wildfire is significant, and then we have air and water quality issues, we have endangered species issues." He adds, "Our job is to manage those resources with the help of our partners and with our private landowners, to make those resources sustainable and thriving for everyone in Central Oregon." Rola notes it is not a regulatory or policy-making agency.

Under Oregon law, soil and water conservation districts can levy property taxes - with voter approval - but only a quarter in the state actually do. District Manager Erin Kilcullen says it's very early in the conversation, but the most likely scenario would be to ask for around eight cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. "For the average homeowner, that would be under $20 - $19 a year. And that would, when I talked to the County Clerk and Assessor, we would receive approximately, give or take, $2.8 million annually."

Around 400 people received a poll this month, "To gauge the community’s understanding of what a soil and water conservation district is, first of all," says Jeff Rola, "And then, look at the possibility of us securing a tax base in the future."

DSWCD's board must decide by mid-August whether it will send the question to voters in November. If they move forward, Rola knows it’ll be a tough ask. "People are tired of elections, in general, and tax elections, in particular."