Superintendent warns of potential local tax impacts as district plans meeting with city leaders

The Oregon City Schools superintendent told the board May 19 that district leaders will meet with the mayor and city administrators on May 27 to review local school finances and discuss the potential loss of real estate tax revenue tied to proposed changes at the state level.

In a report to the board, the superintendent said the state currently shows approximately $1,239,000,000 in excess revenue for the fiscal year and urged the community and legislators to consider relief for public school districts. "We're almost at the end of June when that budget will be finalized for the year," the superintendent said. "I would think that based on that ... there would be a different mindset with $1,239,000,000 in excess revenue."

The superintendent also raised concern about House Bill 420, which the superintendent said would, starting tax year 2029, prohibit continuous levies other than PI levies and would require districts to put such levies back on the ballot for re-approval. "That's $14,270,000,000 that's going to be re-voted on," the superintendent said, and urged the board to prepare communications to inform voters and partners about potential changes.

The superintendent asked trustees to hold legislators accountable for the allocation of additional state funds and said the district intends to share information it has gathered on property tax reform as part of its communications plan. The board did not vote on any legislative position at the meeting; the superintendent said staff would report back after the May 27 meeting with city officials.