Washington County voters appear to approve property tax increase to fund public safety

Washington County voters appeared poised to approve a property tax hike to fund local law enforcement Tuesday night.

Partial results tallied as of 8 p.m. Tuesday showed 57% of voters approving the measure.

County leaders asked voters to approve a 19-cent increase to the county’s public safety levy , bumping the rate homeowners pay from 47 to 66 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. A property owner with a home valued at $348,600 would pay around $230 a year, up from the current $164.

“The public safety levy helps ensure we have funding to keep Washington County a safe place to live, work, and raise a family,” District Attorney Kevin Barton said in an October statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive. “The levy funds critical public safety services — such as prosecutors, sheriff’s d