The popular nature play areas opened at Oxbow Regional Park in May 2019 thanks in part to levy funding.
Help shape Metro's parks and natural areas
For more than two decades, voters have repeatedly trusted Metro to protect clean water, restore fish and wildlife habitat and provide opportunities for people to connect with nature close to home.
Metro wants to hear about what you value in parks and natural areas, and what would create safe and welcoming destinations. We especially want to learn about how things have changed for our communities during the last year and a half and the COVID pandemic.
Your input will help Metro develop a potential renewal of the local-option levy that pays for the restoration, maintenance and operations of parks and natural areas across greater Portland. A levy renewal would not increase tax rates.
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Metro’s parks and natural areas local-option levy protects clean water, restores fish and wildlife habitat, and connects people with nature across 17,000 acres of parks, trails and natural areas.
About half the levy funding maintains and restores habitat on land that has been acquired over the course of two decades and three voter-approved bond measures.
The other half of the money supports park operations, improves public access at Metro destinations, expands volunteer and education programming, and provides grants for community nature projects and partnerships.
The levy raises about $16 million per year through June 2023. It costs homeowners within Metro’s boundaries in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties 9.6 cents per $1,000 of assessed value — approximately $20 for a home with $200,000 in assessed value.
The Metro Council is considering asking voters to renew the levy in 2022, which would make the funding available for five additional years. A potential levy renewal would not raise taxes.
In May 2021, the Metro Council asked staff to develop a potential levy renewal at the same rate, to build off the existing framework and categories, and to prioritize racial equity and climate resilience. Staff expects to deliver a potential levy renewal in early 2022 to the Metro Council to decide if and when to place it on the ballot.