The ballot drop box outside the Linn County Clerk’s Office in the Wheelhouse Building, photographed on Aug. 31.
In case you forgot or didn’t get the news at the time, the Linn County Clerk’s Office moved out of the courthouse. The office is now in the Wheelhouse Building on the Albany riverfront, as the ballot drop box outside reminds me every time I pass it on the Dave Clark Riverfront Path.
Like others around the county, the drop box is there for the convenience of voters who don’t mail back their ballots in Oregon elections. It’s about to get its first use, in the election that ends Nov. 4.
What, there’s an election coming up, you ask? Yes there is, in Linn County anyway.
The county is asking voters to decide on the renewal of a four-year local option tax to support the sheriff’s office and related law enforcement functions including the county jail.
The tax, with a fixed rate of $3.08 per thousand dollars of assessed value, is 10 cents higher than the current four-year levy it would replace. The new rate would be in effect through June 2030.
It would support continued 24-hour sheriff’s patrols, operation and maintenance of the 252-bed county jail, criminal prosecutions, and supervision and detention of juvenile offenders, along with related law enforcement and emergency-response activities.
When I first saw the drop box outside the Wheelhouse, its slot was closed and locked. I wondered about security in that waterfront location, isolated as it is especially at night, and off the beaten path.
I asked County Clerk Marcie Richey about that, and via email she replied:
“The drop box is monitored 24/7 by the camera mounted on the southeast corner of the Wheelhouse. We will be opening the drop box for the November election when the military ballots go out, which is September 19, 2025. Once the drop box is opened, the drop box is armed with a fire suppressant. Currently, we use the same fire suppressant at the Courthouse, Lebanon, and Millersburg drop boxes. In addition, the drop box is emptied on a routine basis to minimize a build-up of ballots.”
As for the issue in this coming election, Linn County voters have approved similar law enforcement levies every few years for more than 40 years. That’s a tradition that should be upheld in 2025. (hh)
Given recent increases in utility bills and discussion of more fees and taxes (e.g., gas tax) I wonder if voters will knock down the Nov. tax option out of sheer exasperation-slash protest.
While I am also frustrated about the numerous increases in fees and new taxes (both State and Local), I try to review each new “ask” individually. A 10 cent increase over a bond rate of $3.08 for the last 4 years is less than inflation. Of course, our house “taxes” go up 3% each year (usually), and I am sure expenses for the Sheriffs office do as well. Still need to do a little more research, but I am leaning yes at this point.
$3.08 per $1,000. Property assessed at $400,000 is $1,232/year….
we will unfortunately vote no. Between the City, County & State imposing fees and taxes on us collectively, it is becoming harder and harder for families to make ends meet. And remember in Albany, they are planning on adding a .05 to .075 gas tax to fix roads.
The state just increased the state gas tax by .06. Don’t forget we also pay city franchise fees for trash, electricity, natural gas. And storm water fees, etc… there is no end to how government wants to take OUR money. They all need to cut out non-essential services.