A bill that would authorize creation of a new type of special district, a children’s district, aptly numbered Senate Bill (SB) 123B, passed the Senate May 22nd on a vote of 18-10. AOC joined the League of Cities, Special Districts Association, Oregon Recreation & Park Association, and the Cities of Eugene and Springfield in a Senate floor letter urging its defeat.
The reasons are simple,
- The services authorized by SB 123B, after-school children’s services, are already or can be provided by school districts and existing local government districts. Education, civics, culture, arts, music, physical recreation, health, and development of skills are within the combined jurisdiction of park and recreation, health, and library districts. Cities provide these programs, as well.
- Under the bill more existing taxing districts will likely go into Measure 5 compression, reducing resources and adding to the tax rates in many locations.
- Under Measure 5, services must be segregated into two capped categories: education or general government. SB 123B directs litigation as a remedy for incorrect categorization of a service, a very expensive remedy indeed.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Revenue for further consideration.
Contributed by: Gil Riddell | AOC Policy Director