Special Road District #8 (“District”) was created to construct road improvements financed by special assessments against benefitted properties.  The District’s general fund pays for operating expenses, insurance, road repairs, grading, snow removal, safety and traffic control signs, and fire break/vehicle safety corridor for 10.85 miles of road within the District. 

The District’s roads support heavy traffic from District residents, nearby residents, and people accessing BLM land and the Deschutes River to our West. Keeping the roads in good repair requires regular application of gravel. The District has not graveled all the roads for over 20 years. Further, residents within the District are requesting the application of dust abatement.

When the District was formed the Deschutes County Tax Assessor set a permanent tax rate of $1.6239 per $1,000 of tax assessed value. This rate is a permanent rate that can only be changed through approval by a vote of the people of the State of Oregon in a statewide election.  With increased gravel, fuel, and heavy machinery costs, the District estimates a cost of $800,000 for surface gravel and compaction of the 10.85 miles of the road in the District.  The District’s current permanent tax rate is generating only approximately $90,000 annually.  To add surface gravel to all the District’s roads, a levy is proposed of $2.80 per $1,000 of assessed value for five consecutive years beginning 2024-25.

This measure is estimated to generate between $160,750 and $184,500 per year for an estimated total revenue of $860,000 over the five-year period.  This measure would allow the District to purchase surface gravel and pay to have it spread, leveled, and compacted to bring our roads up to proper grade and crown. This will help with preventing large puddles, potholes, and the breakdown of the road surface.