NOTICE of Measure Referral
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Riverdale School District 51J has referred a measure to voters in the District at the May 19, 2026 Primary Election, and the Multnomah County Elections Division has received a Ballot Title for that referral.
Any registered voter dissatisfied with the Ballot Title may file a petition for review with the Multnomah County Circuit Court on or before January 16, 2026. Any person filing a petition must also notify the Director of Elections, 1040 SE Morrison St., Portland, in writing that the petition has been filed, and that notice must be given by 5:00 p.m. on the next business day after the petition has been filed with the Circuit Court. - Tim Scott, Multnomah County Director of Elections
Ballot Title:
Caption: FIVE-YEAR LOCAL OPTION TAX FOR DISTRICT OPERATIONS
Question: Shall Riverdale levy $1.67 per $1,000 of assessed value for general operations for five years beginning in fiscal year 2026-27? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
Summary: Since 2000, voters have approved a local option levy to support Riverdale School District 51J operations. This measure would authorize the District to levy a property tax of $1.67 per $1,000 of assessed value each year for five years to help finance District operations. This measure represents an increase to the District’s current local option levy rate of $1.37 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The local option levy provides funding to retain teachers and support the educational programs offered at Riverdale. If approved, this measure would provide additional funding to support Riverdale’s instructional programs, staffing, and general operations. If not approved, the District would need to reduce its 2026–27 budget by more than $1,000,000, the estimated equivalent of cutting seven teachers or 21 school days.
The tax rate of $1.67 per $1,000 of assessed value equals an estimated $167 per year for every $100,000 of assessed value, which is an increase of $30 per year per $100,000 of assessed value compared to the current levy.
The local option levy is projected to raise $7,530,900 over five years:
$1,418,300 in 2026-2027
$1,461,000 in 2027-2028
$1,505,400 in 2028-2029
$1,550,000 in 2029-2030
$1,596,200 in 2030-2031