PORTLAND, Ore. — The regional planning government, Metro, is asking voters to approve a $475 million bond measure in November.
Metro President Lynn Peterson says the agency needs the new bond money to redo well-worn and well-loved parks, including Blue Lake.
Metro also wants to buy land to do things like improving water quality along with fish and wildlife habitat.
“You actually need to go up and actually start working with the farmers out in the rural area. And that's what we've done with all of our partners, basically being able to conserve those stream corridors and get less agricultural runoff and more trees planted so that we can bring down the temperature and make the pH correct,” she said.
If approved, the bond would tax homeowners at 19 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value or $4 a month for a home worth $250,000.
But the bond is running into some opposition. Eric Fruits has a Ph.D. in economics and studies bond measures involving local government.
He said you should pass on this one.
“I think this bond is a big, expensive bond that has a lot of vague speculative promises that I think voters probably should reject at this point,” Fruits said.
Metro has put several arguments for the bond online.