A City by Choice update
by Janice Epstein
At our March meeting, A City By Choice heard guest speakers from two informative entities: law firm Jordan Schrader Ramis and the League of Oregon Cities. The three lawyers spoke from a place of real authority on the subject of communities becoming cities as they have one of the largest local government practices in OR and they currently represent several Oregon communities that have chosen to undergo a city formation process.
The told us that an Economic Feasibility Study collects information about the needed/desired community services (water, sewer, roads, public safety, etc.) as well as information about land use, zoning, anticipated tax revenue, boundaries, etc.
A quality study is crucial. It helps communities identify all the costs associated with being the city it wants to be, divides this by property values and comes up with a tax rate. The community can then decide if they like that tax rate or not. The community can also compare the cost of becoming its own city with the tax rates of nearby cities that propose annexation. Setting the right rate from the start is very important, because once a city sets a tax rate, it is hard to change.
There should be wide agreement about the reason for becoming a city (for local control, to manage growth, etc.) and that reason should be at the forefront of our thoughts at all times. Community input is crucial for long-term success.
Chad Jacobs from the League of Oregon Cities shared a document, “A Guide to City Incorporation in Oregon,” which is just one of the many forms of assistance available from the League of Oregon Cities.
Members of A City By Choice continue to believe that a feasibility study is a smart idea. Even if it determines that becoming a city is not viable for us, it will still yield information that will help all citizens during an annexation process. The first step in achieving a feasibility study is to gather 1,000 signatures of support. A City By Choice is collecting those signatures electronically on its website and also on paper.
Our next meeting will explore how becoming a city or being annexed might impact our community's service levels and costs. Join us on April 12th at 7 pm as our local service providers meet with us to explore these issues. Meetings are held in the Bethany Community Room, 15220 NW Laidlaw Rd, Suite 200 In Bethany Village, above Huntington Learning Center. Visit our website for more information.
A City By Choice has requested all citizens to contact them at acitybychoice.org and send them any and all upcoming spring and summer events where they can help inform neighbors and gather more signatures of support.
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