What’s making news in Salem you might have missed
Good morning and thanks for spending a few moments with me as I share what’s happening around Salem.
Money for government is going to be a big issue in Salem in the coming weeks.
More particularly, those living in Salem may be asked to pony up more.
Both the city of Salem and the Salem school system are considering asking voters for an extra helping of property taxes.
That means having voters settle whether to create a new layer of taxes, perhaps as soon as next May. A tax levy would be on top of taxes already collected by Salem and the Salem-Keizer School District.
Expect to hear more about why the money is needed. This isn’t to build new schools or put up new city buildings. This would be, officials say, to keep services already in place and maybe add a bit.
At Salem Reporter, we’ll report to you every step of the way. A chief goal is to make our stories clear. Government sometimes talks in what seems to be a strange language. We’ll cut through the official jargon.
Another goal is to help you figure out how to have your say – long before any levy goes on the ballot.
Finally, we’ll make clear the impact of any new taxes on you. That means showing how much homeowners and business properties would pay. We’ll show what’s being paid already.
We welcome your help. Send us your questions. Tell us what you want to know about your local governments.
This matters for Salem. Yes, it’s government. Yes, it’s a lot of numbers and percentages. But people like you will have a lot of say about how the community protects itself, educates its children and makes Salem livable.
Speaking of numbers, reporter Joe Siess sat through hours of discussion by Salem city councilors about funding needs. Councilors seem to be leaning on asking for more money in May.
He also attended the last of the “listening sessions” held by the Salem Police Department over gun violence. As he reports, now it’s up to the city to frame a strategy.
Reporter Madeleine Moore attended a tense court hearing for the sentencing of an 18-year-old who admitted beating a homeless man to death. The teen couldn’t explain his attack.
In other court action, the man who set fire to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in downtown Salem a year ago is headed to prison. The five-alarm fire did $1 million in damage.
Meantime, one of our most read stories of the week came from reporter Abbey McDonald. She learned about another homeless man, one who gave his life trying to save a woman from drowning.
New data out shows Marion County is seeing a surge in measles cases, the worst in half a century. The disease was considered eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
Two of our regular columnists made appearances this week. Jim Sellers shares insights on Medicare Advantage insurance (some even free) while Pamela Ferrara explains why not everyone is feeling good about cooling inflation.
Managing Editor Rachel Alexander introduces you to Salem’s only parks ranger. “The goal of the park ranger is to protect the parks and the people in them,” the ranger told us.
And then there’s the Oregon State Fair, now underway. Madeleine Moore shares what’s new for you to check out at the fair, which runs through Labor Day.
Thank you for reading, subscribing and sharing our work. Please reach out to me anytime at [email protected] if you have story ideas, questions or suggestions for our team.
– Les Zaitz, CEO and editor, Salem Reporter
We need you – subscribe to strengthen local news
A subscription to Salem Reporter is easy to set up. It’s affordable. And it’s the way for readers to vote in favor of the kind of news we deliver. Our fee is modest. The cost is $12 a month, $120 for the year. Why not join in? Click HERE and in moments you’ll be a Salem Reporter subscriber. (You can take us for a test spin for just $12 – get three months for the price of one.)
Copyright © 2025 Salem Reporter. All rights reserved. |
Our mailing address is: 494 State St., #410 • Salem, Oregon 97301 |
You are receiving this email because you signed up through our website or participated in a promotion. |