Josephine County voters appear to have rejected a five-year renewal of a property tax that funds the county’s adult jail and juvenile detention center.
Preliminary results show about 55% voted against Measure 17-129.
Without renewed funding, the county projects it would cut the adult jail’s capacity by more than half and end juvenile detention operations, according to its explanation in the voters’ pamphlet. The current levy expires June 30, 2027.
Measure 17-129 would have continued the existing tax rate of 93 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, raising about $57 million over five years.
The current county commissioners supported the measure. Former commissioners John West, Herman Baertschiger and Andreas Blech submitted arguments against it in the voters’ pamphlet.
They criticized the measure’s wording, saying it did not guarantee funding for juvenile detention. The measure would have maintained the adult jail’s capacity at 185 inmates and, “when possible, partially fund juvenile detention operations.”
Opponents also criticized the projected revenue. They said rising property values meant the measure would collect about $20 million more over five years than the original 2017 levy, despite maintaining the same tax rate.
The county could put another proposal before voters in May, before the current levy expires.
