Oregon Voters Approve Fire and School Funding in 27 Counties

Oregon voters on Tuesday, Nov. 3, approved the majority of local funding measures aimed at supporting rural fire departments and school districts. Of the 16 fire funding proposals across nine counties, 13 passed. In the education sector, eight of nine school districts secured the bond or levy approvals they sought.

The passage of these measures provides immediate financial resources for emergency response infrastructure. In Benton County, Albany and Adair rural fire protection districts approved bonds and operating levies totaling nearly $3 million. Voters in Marion and Clackamas counties also approved a merger of the Monitor and Mt. Angel fire districts, funded by a permanent property tax levy of $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed value.

School districts received substantial capital injections for infrastructure and safety upgrades. In Hillsboro, nearly 80% of voters renewed a local tax levy that has been in place since 2006, projected to raise $62 million over the next five years. More than 60% of Hillsboro voters also approved a $430 million bond, the largest in the election, to repair aging facilities. North Clackamas voters approved a $245 million bond, while Multnomah County residents approved a $162.5 million bond for the Reynolds School District to replace a 1950s-era elementary school.

Despite the broad approval for public safety and education, specific local initiatives faced rejection. In Harney County, a nearly $49 million bond for a new K-8 school and high school upgrades failed to pass, marking the district's first unsuccessful bond attempt in over two decades. Troutdale voters rejected a proposal to allocate nearly $19 million over five years to police, fire, and 911 operations. Pendleton voters also rejected a fire and ambulance levy for the second time in 2026, a measure that would have raised approximately $1.6 million annually for staffing and equipment.

Business and environmental tax measures produced varied results across the state. In Eugene, voters approved a 2% tax on gross profits from large retailers earning over $1 billion annually nationwide and over $500,000 locally. This measure, which funds a clean energy program, is expected to generate up to $15 million per year. In Bandon, voters raised the transient lodging tax on stays under 30 days from 9.5% to 12%. Conversely, a Columbia County proposal to impose a 13% tax on short-term stays in unincorporated areas failed.

Voters in smaller municipalities also decided on local revenue sources and regulations. In Rufus, a town of approximately 250, residents approved a 1-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase to fund local roads. In Estacada, voters banned marijuana processing and manufacturing, while Sutherlin voters maintained their ban on marijuana facilities. Joseph, Redmond, and Reedsport approved measures to ban or renew bans on psilocybin therapies, exercising local opt-out rights granted under state law.