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Portland Water Bureau

Voters overwhelmingly approved all four ballot measures in Multnomah County's special election last night, resulting in new and renewed property taxes and strengthened protections to the City of Portland's drinking water supply.

According to the county election site, just 29.5 percent of registered voters in Multnomah County had submitted a ballot for the November 5 election. This expectedly low turnout for an off-year election was slightly higher than Oregon's total voter participation of 27.8 percent.

Just over 70 percent of Multnomah County voters approved a $475 million Metro bond that the regional government will use to acquire new natural areas, preserve existing parks, and maintain community nature programs across the tri-county district. The bond will cost homeowners 19 cents per $1,000 of their home's assessed value (about $47.50 a year for a home assessed at $250,000).

This bond replaces another Metro property tax set to expire, meaning it won't increase homeowner's property taxes. The measure's reliance on taxpayer dollars and undefined promises still made it the most contested item in on the ballot.

Voters were more enthusiastic to pass Portland Public Schools' property tax, which simply renews an existing levy that covers salaries for nearly one in three PPS teachers. This levy, instituted in 2014, will continue to tax homeowners $1.99 per $1,000 of their home's assessed value (or, $475 a year for a home assessed at $250,000). Seventy-seven percent of voters backed this measure.

Portland voters also approved two measures sent to the ballot from Portland City Council. One measure allows the city to share and receiving emergency water from other cities during an emergency, and the other adds protections to the Bull Run Watershedโ€”the city's main source of drinking water. Both measures passed with over 80 percent of the vote.