I’m voting Yes on both tax measures

We’ve only been in Beaverton two years. After a decade in Santa Monica, we came here for the quiet streets, the safety, and the promise of a place where kids can actually bike to the library alone.

I went back and forth on these Washington County levies for weeks. Nobody enjoys paying more taxes — but after looking at what makes this place so different from where we came from, I couldn’t talk myself into a split vote.

My gut said no to libraries, yes to public safety. Then my wife asked who in our circle depends on these services. Answer: nearly everyone, except us. Friends’ kids on Libby. The recommendation I made for the Library of Things when a friend needed a one-off tool.

In Santa Monica, libraries had terrible hours and were often closed. Here, they’re open until 8 or 9 PM and actually serve the community. Even though we don’t use the services, the fact that they’re a community center for learning is part of why we moved here.

For a typical Washington County homeowner assessed at $348,600:

Not nothing — but it preserves the services that convinced us to put down roots here.

The levy covers 45% of our library system. Lose it and we lose hours, staff, and programs. Last year: 2.4M visits · 7.2M items checked out — saving residents roughly $140M versus buying it all outright.

The practical stuff sealed it: homework help, job-search support, early literacy, the Library of Things where you can borrow a tool you don’t need to own. “Rising tides lift all ships” — and education is the tentpole.

A few months ago we’re on a flight back from Santa Monica. Somewhere over Northern California my wife’s phone lights up: INTRUSION ALERT — GARAGE MOTION DETECTED. Heart-drop. We’re in a metal tube at 30,000 feet and someone might be breaking in.

I called the Washington County non-emergency line, fully expecting voicemail. Someone picked up. Calm, professional. “We’ll send a unit.” Sure, I thought — maybe tomorrow.

Eight minutes later, my phone rings. An officer is at our house. Perimeter checked. Garage secure. They used our smart lock to clear the inside too. Everything fine. Probably a spider.

In Santa Monica we once waited 45 minutes for a response to an actual break-in attempt. That eight-minute response is what this levy protects.

Our corner of West Beaverton is calm. September 2025: 12 reported crimes. The levy pays for 18% of the public safety system, including the Mental Health Response Team that sends counselors with deputies instead of treating every crisis like a crime.

Enter your assessed value (not market value — find it on your tax statement) and see what these measures cost you:

Our property tax statement makes me wince. Coming from California, Oregon felt like a bargain at first; reality has set in. Another $13.74/mo isn’t fun — but it costs less than our combined streaming subs and protects the exact services that convinced us to leave Santa Monica.

We chose Beaverton because kids walk to school without bodyguards. Because the library is a real community center. Because when you call for help, someone shows up. Every time I remember that eight-minute response while flying home, I know exactly what we’re paying for.

The full voters’ pamphlet is on Washington County Elections. All the details are there.