Voters reject levy for Polk County Fairgrounds renovations, upgrades
Voters are rejecting a levy to fund renovations at the Polk County Fairgrounds, according to initial results Tuesday night.
Of 17,200 ballots counted, 60% of Polk County voters said no to the levy, which would have raised $1.2 million in its first year.
The tax increase would have funded renovation projects and other upgrades for the fairgrounds, which last had major updates in 1995, according to the Fairgrounds Manager Tina Andersen. The Polk County Fairgrounds are located at 520 South Pacific Highway W. in Rickreall.
The levy would have required Polk County property owners to pay 15 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value, increasing property taxes by $39 per year per year for an average Polk County home.
The levy would have funded electrical system upgrades, a new HVAC system, old sidewalk repairs and development of the fairgrounds’ amphitheater and stage.
It also would have raised funding to build a new main office to replace the current maintenance shed.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and reports on a variety of topics including public safety, addiction, treatment and the criminal justice system. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
