A ballot measure to increase funding for the Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District was passing by just 1.5 percentage points as of Wednesday morning. 

The measure was passing with 50.7% of voters approving, while the no vote stood at 49.3%, according to preliminary election results.   

If the lead holds, the measure will create a permanent tax rate of 6 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, a rate that cannot be raised. An area residence assessed at $238,000 would be expected to pay $1.19 per month, or about $14 per year. The tax is expected to raise $2.1 million per year.

The assessed value of property in Deschutes County is typically much lower than the market value and can be found on dial.deschutes.org.

The district typically relies on small state grants. Funding is currently from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, among others. Its budget for 2024-2025 is $845,000.

The levy is designed to be a funding source to help with conservation projects in both rural and urban areas. The district promotes voluntary efforts to conserve water, protect drinking water supplies and improve soil health for local farms and agriculture.