Get answers to common questions about the Law Enforcement Levy

Is this an additional levy, or replacing the expiring levy?

The current Law Enforcement Levy EXPIRES on June 30, 2022.  The proposed levy will REPLACE the expiring levy, and begin July 1, 2022 should it be approved by the voters.

There is no overlap between the two levies.

Does the Albany Police Department receive funding from this Linn County Law Enforcement Levy?

It is a common misconception that the “Linn County Law Enforcement Levy” funds all law enforcement agencies in Linn County. However, that isn’t the case.

Neither the Albany Police Department, nor Lebanon Police or Sweet Home Police Departments, receive funding from Ballot Measure 22-189. They are funded through their own City budgets, and supporting levies that are different than Ballot Measure 22-189, and voted upon only by citizens within their own cities.  All citizens in Linn County who are registered to vote can vote on Ballot Measure 22-189. 

Weren’t voters recently asked to approve the Law Enforcement Levy?

Yes. But it was not approved by the voters. To ensure funding for Linn County law enforcement is not interrupted and services to the public aren’t cut back, we are asking for your YES VOTE on November 2nd, 2021.

In November of 2020, citizens voted down the proposed levy, at a proposed rate of $3.08 per $1,000 of assessed value.

After redrafting the ballot measure, and determining the impact of sservices at a lower rate, the current Ballot Measure 22-189 is presented to the voters for approval at a rate of $2.98 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Does the money levied go to the Linn County General Fund?

No. Money raised by Ballot Measure 22-189 can only be used for purposes presented to the voters – to support law enforcement operations for the Sheriff’s Office, prosecutions at the District Attorney’s Office, and programs and detention services overseen by the Juvenile Department.

If Ballot Measure 22-189 passes, how would it affect my property taxes?

The current law enforcement levy is at the tax rate of $2.83 per $1,000 of assessed property value (this is different than the real market value “RMV”). This tax rate was first approved by the voters of Linn County back in 2014 and has been at that rate for almost eight years. If passed, the proposed levy would increase the rate to $2.98 per $1,000 of assessed property value, an increase of $0.15 per $1,000.

For a home with an assessed property value of $185,000, the monthly cost would increase $2.31 per month from the expiring levy rate, or $27.75 per year.

What percentage of the Law Enforcement Levy goes to the Sheriff, District Attorney, and Juvenile Department?

The Linn County Law Enforcement Levy has been a shared tax levy between the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and the Juvenile Department for a very long time.  The revenue from the levy is split in the following way: 76% supports the Sheriff’s Office, 14% helps operate the Juvenile Department, and 10% assists the District Attorney’s Office budget.