Deschutes County 911 is running out of money. It will eat through its $1.7 million in reserves in about a year. And it needs your support for a property tax levy on the May ballot.

The county’s 911 office does more than just answer the phone in an emergency. It’s a centralized dispatch center for all the county’s police, fire and medical services. The dispatchers are also trained and certified to give medical instructions until help arrives. In short, it’s an essential part of public safety in Deschutes County.

To keep that service up and running costs about $4.4 million a year. That doesn’t include money for a contingency fund, which brings the total to more than $6 million.

There’s a permanent property tax dedicated to 911. But the rate of 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed value only funds about half its budget — about $2.4 million. The county’s 911 office does get other money from a state tax and user fees from the Forest Service and Crooked River Ranch. It still leaves 911 more than $1 million short.

There was a four-year levy of 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That expired June 30 of last year. Voters approved a 23 cent levy in the May 2007 election. The measure still failed, though, because Oregon’s double majority law required a 50 percent voter turnout and not enough people voted.

So 911 is trying again this May for a five-year levy of 23 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. On a home with an assessed value of $200,000, the annual taxes to pay for 911 would be a total of $78.06. (Remember, assessed value is used for the sake of calculating property taxes and is on average 43 percent of real market value for homes in Deschutes County.)

What would voters get if they pass the levy?

Basically, a critical county service would be able to continue as it should. Callers won’t be put on hold. The county’s 911 will be able to stop eating into its reserves. Service levels won’t decline. It won’t have to lay off employees. It will be able to start replacing its radio and other equipment that is near the end of its life. It will be able to hire employees to help it keep up with the growth in population and corresponding growth in total daily calls. In 1992, the total of non-emergency and emergency calls was 112,101. In 1999, it was 188,805. Last year, it rose to 281,918 calls.

Becky McDonald, 911’s executive director, has said it might hire two dispatchers in the next year to keep up with the increase. And 911 will be also able to start the process of moving into a new location, so it has room to add staff.

We hope you will support the 911 levy on the May ballot.