Sisters Parks advisory hears limits on funding and outlines levy options ahead of 2028 renewal

Jen of the Sisters Park and Recreation District told the Parks Advisory Board that SPRD is a separate special-purpose taxing district, not a city department, and that its permanent tax rate remains 22¢ per $1,000 assessed value while a 15¢ local option levy passed in 2018 (bringing assessed rates to 37¢). She said the district’s general fund budget for the coming year is $1,900,000 and that FY27 is budgeted for 13.85 FTE while the district is currently operating at roughly 11 FTE (about 18 people, counting part-time staff).

Jen summarized the board’s options for the district’s levy and tax structure ahead of the levy’s May 2028 renewal: (1) renew the current 15¢ local option levy; (2) seek voter approval to raise the local option levy rate (a non-permanent change); or (3) pursue a dissolve-and-reform strategy to change the district’s permanent tax rate, a complex ballot approach she said has confused voters in other communities. “You can write it in a way to where it's a yes, yes, or no, no,” she said, describing how a dissolve-and-reform measure might be structured. The board agreed the district will conduct community outreach and polling during FY27 to test support and determine what, if any, changes the community will back.