BEND, OR -- Voters in Deschutes County will be asked to consider a new property tax levy on November fifth, for the Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District. Erin Kilcullen, the District's Manager, says their work with private landowners is solely reliant on grants, "But the needs of farmers, ranchers, communities- both rural and urban, the needs aren't funded by these grants. So, irrigation improvement projects aren't completely funded by grants, forest health improvement projects, wildfire risk reduction, urban agriculture." She tells KBND News, "As everyone knows, with inflation, the cost of everything is going up: The cost to pipe, the cost of contractors, the cost of plants, the cost of seeds, the cost of everything. So, these projects that these landowners need assistance with, even if they are giving assistance through grant funding, it's still only covering a fraction of the cost."

The district is asking for six cents per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, each year, "So, at six cents, that would cost the average homeowner $14.28," says Kilcullen.

Board co-chair James Warren says it would provide stable funding from the local community impacted by their work, not Washington, DC. He acknowledges it's a big ask, especially in an election where some voters will see multiple money measures. But, he says he's more worried about the consequences if they're forced to scale back their work, "As a fifth generation Central Oregonian, I'm seeing our natural resources deplete, with the influx of people. And, I see the Deschutes River going dry and I do not want to see that in my lifetime."

To explain more about the district's work and the levy request, Deschutes SWCD hosts a public meeting Tuesday evening at Worthy Brewing, from 5 to 8 p.m.