Deschutes County Hikes Property Tax Rate

BEND, OR-Deschutes County’s board of commissioners last week approved a fiscal budget last week that raises the property-tax rate to the maximum allowed by law. It is the first time since 1997 that the county has topped out the rate.

The new rate, to help cover an estimated $162 million in expenses, is increasing about 8 cents to $1.28 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. Half the revenue will offset higher costs for personnel, material and services. The other half will fund a capital improvement account, allowing the county to avoid using levies or bond measures to get money for improvement projects.