Copyright The Oregonian

Kathryn Harrington For The Oregonian/OregonLive Harrington is chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners. Washington County voters will decide two measures in the November election that are crucial investments in the safety and quality of life that we cherish on the westside. Writing on behalf of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, I urge residents to vote “yes” on Measures 34-345 and 34-346. Measure 34-345, a library levy, and Measure 34-346, a public safety levy, continue the funding necessary to provide educational opportunities for all and to keep our thriving communities safe. Washington County voters have supported libraries and the public safety system with local option levies since 2006, and we ask that voters continue to show their backing. Measure 34-345 would help fund our vibrant cooperative of public libraries in Washington County, including locations in Aloha, Banks, Beaverton, Bethany and Cedar Mill, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Garden Home and West Slope, Hillsboro, North Plains, Sherwood, Tigard and Tualatin. Libraries are community hubs, providing access to books, reading programs and homework support for kids, as well as community events for families. Washington County residents love our libraries, with 2.4 million visits last year and 7.2 million checkouts. Libraries continue to adapt, providing digital collections, study spaces and loan equipment from musical instruments to kitchen gadgets. By checking out library materials rather than purchasing items, library users saved $140 million last year, according to estimates by the Washington County Cooperative Library System. The measure seeks to raise the library levy rate for the first time in 10 years, from 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to 37 cents. For a home with the average assessed value of $348,600, the cost would be $129 in the first year of the new levy. The expiring library levy represents 45% of library funding, so if Measure 34-345 does not pass, the impact to our communities would be profound. Libraries would need to reduce staffing, operating hours and reduce access to collections, events and technology. The monthly increase is less than $5 per month for the average homeowner and will support community access to public libraries across the westside for another five years. While so much is changing around us, our libraries remain a steady beacon of possibility, learning and resilience. Measure 34-346, which would direct funding to maintaining a comprehensive public safety system, is also key to ensuring Washington County residents continue to enjoy safe and livable communities. This measure currently provides 16% of the funding for our public safety system, including the county sheriff’s office, the district attorney’s office, community corrections and juvenile services. The county provides public safety services to all cities, urban, unincorporated and rural areas in Washington County, working alongside cities’ law enforcement agencies. This funding would help sustain core safety operations while also investing in key staffing and resources needed to better prevent and prosecute crime. For example, proceeds from the levy would pay for additional detectives and prosecutors to take on high-impact crimes, such as child abuse and trafficking of deadly drugs such as fentanyl. It would also fund juvenile crime prevention that connects youth with services to help them avoid the justice system. And the levy dedicates money to the Family Peace Center, a nonprofit offering survivor-centered care to survivors of domestic violence and child abuse. Proceeds would also help ensure that the Washington County Jail, which is the only jail in the county, can operate at full capacity and avoid pre-trial releases. For adults on parole and probation, this levy would add needed staffing for community corrections, which helps people work toward behavior change and be positive members of the community. The levy also seeks to support Mental Health Response Teams, providing rapid response for people in a mental health crisis, de-escalating situations and connecting people to care and support while keeping them out of jail. These services ensure that every part of our county stays safe, by preventing crime, proactively prosecuting crimes, including retail theft, car theft and graffiti and supporting crime victims. Measure 34-346 asks voters to raise the levy rate from 47 cents to 66 cents per $1,000 of assessed value – $230 in the first year, or about $6 more per month for the average assessed home. Washington County is safe and livable, and this increase in the levy rate is a worthy investment in our continuing quality of life. Voters can help ensure we keep the westside a safe and vibrant region for our families to learn, work and play by voting “yes” on Measures 34-345 and 34-346.