OAR 150-280-0020: Tax Election Ballot Measure Requirements

(1) All ballot titles are required to contain essentially the same language within the standard format as outlined in ORS 250.035. (2) The caption is limited to not more than 10 words. The purpose is to identify the type of tax presented for voter approval. The name of the municipal corporation and dollar figures must not be included in the caption. (3) The question is limited to 20 words that plainly state the purpose of the measure so that an affirmative response to the question corresponds to an affirmative vote on the measure. The question must contain the following: (a) The name of the municipal corporation. The word "district" may be substituted for the full name of the municipal corporation if the full name appears in the ballot measure summary; (b) The amount of property tax in dollars and cents, or the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value; (c) The purpose of the tax, such as operating, capital project, or establishing a permanent rate limit; (d) The first fiscal year the tax is to be imposed; and (e) The length in years that the proposed tax is to be imposed. (4)(a) Directly after the question for a proposed new local option tax, the following statement is required: "This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent." (4)(b) In lieu of the statement required by subsection (a) of this section, for a question that is requesting the renewal of a current local option tax, the following statement is required: “This measure renews current local option taxes.” To qualify as a renewing measure, a measure must ask for the same tax rate or annual dollar amount as the current local option tax, or a lower rate or amount, and be for substantially the same purpose as the current local option tax. (c) The statement required by subsection (a) or (b) of this section is not included in the 20-word limitation. (5) The summary is limited to 175 words and explains the purpose of the tax in plain language. It must not advocate a yes or no vote on the question. The summary must contain the following: (a) As the first sentence, except for elections held in May or November of any year: "This measure may be passed only at an election with at least a 50 percent voter turnout." This statement is not included in the 175-word limitation; (b) For a dollar amount local option, the total amount of money to be raised by the measure, and; (c) For a tax rate local option, an estimate of the amount of taxes to be raised in each year in which the tax will be imposed. (6) If an estimated tax impact is included in the summary of a measure requesting an annual dollar amount levy, it must also contain the following statement: "The estimated tax cost for this measure is an ESTIMATE ONLY based on the best information available from the county assessor at the time of estimate and may reflect the impact of early payment discounts, compression and the collection rate.” This statement is not included in the 175-word limitation.