Know the Facts

City Fact Check posts information to help avoid confusion on City issues and help you simply get to the facts.  The goal is to increase public knowledge and understanding of important issues facing City government.  It's a great place to find out if what your neighbor told you about the City is true, to clarify something you read in the paper, or to do your own research.  Be sure to use the links under each subject for more detailed information.

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Public Safety Funding
What does annexation of the City Fire Department by the Fire District mean, and will my taxes go up?
Fire & Emergency Medical Services would no longer be provided by the City of Bend, instead these same services would be provided by the Fire District.  The personnel, equipment and facilities would not change.  The current proposal would mean an increase of approximately 14 cents p/$1000 of taxable assessed valuation for properties within the city limits.  This is $28 a year for a home with a taxable assessed valuation of $200,000.  Property owners outside the current city limits and within the Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 would not see an increase because they are currently paying the maximum permanent rate of $1.4366 P/$1000 of assessed valuation.
More annexation information
Public Safety Funding Survey Results
Comparison of City Taxes

Juniper Ridge
How is the City paying for the project, and how does the City see any return on its investment?
The City of Bend is the lead developer of Juniper Ridge. However, state law does not allow the City's General Fund to be used for development costs, so, like many developers, we're utilizing a combination of tax increment financing and traditional bank financing to pay for the roads and utilities that are needed to serve businesses at Juniper Ridge in the future.
More Juniper Ridge information

Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
Why does the City need to expand the UGB?
All cities in Oregon are required to have a 20-year supply of land for housing and employment in their Urban Growth Boundary.  This is the first major expansion of the UGB for housing and public facilities since Bend's UGB was established in 1981.  In that time, Bend's population has grown from 17,425 to 82,000, or 365 percent.  During that same period, the UGB only expanded by three percent, or about 600 acres.
More UGB information

State Department of Land Conservation and Development Report on Bend and Deschutes County's Amendment to the Bend Urban Growth Boundary

Surface Water Project
Why are we talking about this?
Like many cities across the country, Bend is faced with a range of increasing costs related to the water supply. Under pressure from new federal regulatory requirements and an aging infrastructure, the city must now cover the expense of new surface water treatment and transmission line replacement.  The City does not currently treat the surface water (50% of the City's annual water supply).  The federal government adopted rules that require surface water to be treated by 2012.  Since our transmission pipeline is also more than 80 years old, it is more cost effective to do the construction all at once.
More Surface Water Project information

Accessibility
Why does the City have an accessibility program, and what does it include?
The City works to ensure that people with disabilities have access to City programs, services, activities and facilities.  The Americans with Disabilities Act does not require the City to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.  Removing barriers to accessibility, however, is not only the law, but also a commitment on the part of the City of Bend.
More accessibility information

City Budget, Finances and Tax Structure
The City has laid off employees and made budget cuts over the past year.  Why is the City still in financial trouble?
While Oregon cities are heavily reliant on property taxes, State Measures 5 and 50, passed in the 1990's limit property tax revenues that Oregon cities can raise by establishing permanent tax rates and limiting growth in tax assessed values to three percent a year.  The City can only receive a temporary increase in this permanent rate by citizen vote.  Bend has the lowest permanent property tax rate at $2.80 per $1000 of tax assessed value when compared to other cities of similar size.
More budget information