Backers of levy fear low turnout.

Byline: JOE MOSLEY The Register-Guard

ALBANY - It should be old hat by now: Linn County officials are seeking voter support this month for renewal of a law enforcement levy that has been part of the budget mix since 1982.

Then again, there are the events of 1997 to consider.

That's when a property tax levy renewal measure was approved by voters in a March election, but the vote was invalid because fewer than 50 percent of the county's registered voters turned out to vote.

No money measure in Oregon can be approved (other than in a general election) unless it meets a so-called "double-majority" test - more than half of all registered voters in the taxing district must participate in the election, and more than half of the participating voters must favor the measure.

The 1997 levy went back on the ballot in May of that year and drew both the required turnout and an 80 percent "yes" vote, and county residents approved the current four-year levy a year later.

But Sheriff Dave Burright is still haunted by that low-turnout scenario as voters begin deciding the four-year, $47.8 million renewal measure that's included on ballots mailed to households late last week.

"Our biggest concern right now is that double majority," Burright said Tuesday, citing a governor's race that has failed to generate much interest in the May 21 primary election.

"We're going in May after being told by all the political analysts ... that there'd be no problem at all getting a double majority in the spring primary," he said. "So now, there's a growing concern."

A poll conducted by the county last fall indicated that there was "still very high voter support" for the law enforcement levy that accounts for about 40 percent of the sheriff's budget. The remainder comes from the county's general fund and from various contracts for police and jail services.

The proposed levy renewal would require a tax rate of $2.04 per $1,000 of assessed property value - $204 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home. It would raise $11.4 million in 2003 - its first year - and $11.8 million, $12.1 million and $12.5 million over its remaining three years.

Despite an increase of $1.9 million over the current year's levy of $9.5 million, the proposal calls for no program enhancements.

"I wish it did," Burright said. "This is what amounts to a current-service-level levy, and with the growth of the county I ought to be getting some more police officers out on the street. But I'm not able to do that."

Most of the proposed increase in next year's levy amount is needed to cover about $300,000 in repairs to the county jail and a shortfall of at least $1 million in state funding to house state prisoners in the county jail.

The sheriff's office also loses about $200,000 in property tax revenue because the cities of Lebanon and Sweet Home have reached maximum property tax levels allowed under the state Ballot Measure 5 tax limit initiative.