In 2010, Multnomah County voters approved a five-year local option levy of $0.05 per $1,000 of assessed real property value in Multnomah County to support the Oregon Historical Society (OHS), and this levy was renewed in 2016, 2021, and 2025.
Funding from the renewed levy will maintain OHS’s current public operating hours of 47 hours per week for the museum and 32 hours per week for the research library; support the preservation and curation of current exhibits; fund the development of new educational programming and scholarships; and allow OHS to continue offering free museum admission to and tours for all Multnomah County residents and K–12 school groups. Levy funds will also support operations at four East Multnomah County historical societies — East County Historical Organization (ECHO), Gresham Historical Society, Troutdale Historical Society, and Crown Point Country Historical Society.
Accountability is a key component of this levy, with the Multnomah County Chair continuing to appoint an independent citizens’ oversight committee — representative of Multnomah County’s diverse communities — to review all levy expenditures. The Levy Oversight Committee "LOC" will ensure funds are spent as approved by voters and advise OHS to ensure that its board, partnerships, staff, exhibitions, and programs proactively represent Multnomah County’s diverse cultures. In addition, Multnomah County will continue to select an auditor, for which OHS will pay, to conduct annual audits of levy funds that will be made available to the public. The LOC is responsible for providing an annual briefing to the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners.
See past LOC presentations: