Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 280.060 (2026)

Levy of local option taxes outside constitutional limitation; duration of levy; approval of levy as approval of bonds

✓ current as of May 2026

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280.060 Levy of local option taxes outside constitutional limitation; duration of levy; approval of levy as approval of bonds. (1) Upon approval of a majority of the electors of a subdivision in a manner that qualifies under section 11 (8), Article XI of the Oregon Constitution, a subdivision may levy local option taxes outside the limitation imposed by section 11 (3), Article XI, Oregon Constitution, over the period of time that is authorized by the electors. The amount levied each year shall be:

(a) Uniform, or substantially so, throughout the period during which the taxes are levied; or

(b) Computed annually at the same dollar rate per thousand dollars assessed value in the subdivision, such rate to be declared in and made a part of the ballot measure to be submitted to the electorate.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a subdivision may certify for extension on the assessment and tax roll under ORS 310.060 a lesser amount of local option tax or a lesser rate of local option tax if the subdivision decides to collect less than the entire local option tax authorized by electors. The subdivision shall certify the lesser amount or rate in the written notice required to be made under ORS 310.060.

(3)(a) The period of time authorized by the electors shall not exceed five years or, if the local option tax is for capital projects, the lesser of:

(A) The expected useful life of the capital projects to be financed by the tax; or

(B) Ten years.

(b) A local option tax for capital projects does not exceed the expected useful life of the capital projects financed by the tax if the estimated weighted average life of the tax does not exceed the estimated dollar weighted average of the capital assets comprising the capital projects that are to be financed by the tax. The estimated dollar weighted average life of capital projects shall be calculated under rules of the Department of Revenue that ensure that a local option tax for capital projects is levied for no more than 10 years and no more than the useful life of the component of the capital projects financed by the tax that has the longest useful life.

(4)(a) All local option taxes authorized by ORS 280.040 to 280.145 that are for capital projects and that have a term of more than five years shall be submitted to electors separately from local option taxes with a term of five years or less.

(b) For purposes of this subsection, “capital project” means the acquisition of land upon which to construct an improvement, the acquisition of a building, the acquisition or construction of improvements, the acquisition of an addition to a building which increases the square footage of the building, the construction of a building, the construction of an addition to an existing building which increases the square footage of the building or the acquisition of and installation of machinery and equipment which will become an integral part of a building or an addition to a building, the purchase of furnishings, equipment or other tangible property with an expected useful life of more than one year or a combination of those items.

(5) If a ballot measure authorizing a local option tax states that the taxing district may issue bonds that are payable from that tax, voter approval of the tax shall constitute voter approval of the bonds, except that the approval shall not entitle the taxing district to collect a greater amount of tax than the taxing district would have been entitled to collect if the ballot measure only authorized local option taxes and did not authorize bonds. If the local option tax is approved by voters in a manner that qualifies under section 11 (8), Article XI of the Oregon Constitution, then the taxing body may issue the bonds in a principal amount that, together with the estimated interest to be paid on the bonds while the bonds are outstanding, does not exceed the revenues estimated to be received from the local option tax levy. A taxing district may pledge the revenues received from the local option tax and the taxing district’s full faith and credit to pay bonds authorized under this subsection. [Amended by 1953 c.134 §2; 1977 c.730 §1; 1979 c.241 §24; 1981 c.804 §79; 1989 c.658 §1; 1997 c.541 §303; 1999 c.21 §6; 1999 c.559 §4; 1999 c.1094 §2]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1970–2006 · leading case: Napier v. Lincoln Cnty. Sch. Dist., 4 Or. Tax 221 (Or. T.C. 1970).

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Napier v. Lincoln Cnty. Sch. Dist., 4 Or. Tax 221 (Or. T.C. 1970). · cites it 3× “ORS 280.060 to 280.090 specify the method for the executive authority of the taxing district to obtain a levy of taxes outside the constitutional limitation of Art XI, § 11, upon approval of a majority of the electors of the subdivision voting at the election called for this…”

Urhausen v. City of Eugene, 142 P.3d 1023 (Or. 2006). “080 provides, in part: “The order, resolution or ordinance, as the case may be, pursuant to which the election required by ORS 280.060 is called and held, shall set forth: “(1) The purpose for which the funds to be provided by the tax levies are to be expended.”

Gill v. Beaverton Sch. Dist. 48, 14 Or. Tax 25 (Or. T.C. 1996). · cites it 2× “ORS 280.060 permits voters to approve a levy of taxes outside the six percent limitation of Article XI, section 11, of the Oregon Constitution, “for operating purposes or any other purpose.”

Caruso v. State of Oregon (9th Cir. 2005). “” Or. Rev. Stat. § 280.060 (1)(b). Voters can thus readily identify ballot mea- sures that themselves may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.”

— Or. Rev. Stat. § 280.060(3)(b) — 1 case

Gill v. Beaverton Sch. Dist. 48, 14 Or. Tax 25 (Or. T.C. 1996). “ORS 280.060 permits voters to approve a levy of taxes outside the six percent limitation of Article XI, section 11, of the Oregon Constitution, “for operating purposes or any other purpose.”

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