This time, Deschutes County 911 needs your help. Please vote to support the 911 levy on the May ballot.

It’s hard to find a more important singular issue for Deschutes County voters than the 911 levy. And the good news is that the levy is not going to increase your taxes. The new levy rate is a three-cent reduction from the current levy that expires in June. The new rate will be 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

911 has two levies — the temporary levy that lasts five years and a permanent levy of 16 cents per $1,000. Together they will raise about $3 million per year for 911.

If the temporary levy doesn’t pass, 911 still does have some $10 million in reserves. That money is slated for needed upgrades and has been set aside in case voters don’t pass levies.

Those reserves will keep 911 running for a while. But without the local option levy, 911 will likely eventually have to bill local law enforcement for its services. Bend Police could face an annual bill of $1 million or more. Bend Police Chief Jeff Sale says he’d have to lay off employees to pay that bill.

That’s not a good option.

We hope voters will one day approve a permanent levy for 911 sufficient to meet its needs. Living as it does in the unknown every five years, 911 has to delay hiring, maintenance and upgrades. It makes it hard for the district to plan for the future and properly serve emergencies now. 911 is such a critical service to public safety that it deserves permanent funding.

Voters turned down a permanent levy last year. They should get another chance to support that. For now, pass the temporary levy.