Measure 18-131 passes with 50.28% of the vote with Yes 6921 votes
Rep. E. Werner Reschke has come out against the proposed tax levy for the Klamath County Museum, which includes a small increase to fund museum operations.
Rep. E. Werner Reschke’s crusade to tighten the belt of local government by urging a “no” vote on the Klamath County Museum levy is misguided, and reveals his lack of knowledge about both museum programs and the county’s general fund.
The local museum has come a long way in recent years, despite being cut off from the general fund in 2010. The small levy first approved in 2011, and renewed by wide voter approval twice since then, has helped the museum update its exhibits and develop more outreach to the community, including occasional free-admission days.
Behind the scenes, there are building maintenance issues and collection management needs that are not being adequately addressed sufficiently to help the museum survive over the long term. That’s the reason for the proposed higher levy amount which, at 10 cents per $1,000 of property value, is still a modest amount, and a great investment in the preservation of local history and the many important services and free programs that the museum provides.
The total museum tax on a $150,000 home is only $15.00. Considering the pressing needs of funding for law enforcement, there’s little likelihood that museum operations can be re-absorbed into the general fund, as Rep. Reschke has suggested.
Voters followed the recommendation of both the Republican and Democratic central committees for Klamath County, as well as former state Sen. Steve Harper, and vote “yes” on the museum levy. Please visit the Klamath County Museum Supporters PAC Facebook page for more perspectives on this ballot measure.
The community has strongly supported the current 5 cent per $1,000 rate three times previously, starting in 2010. The current measures that were first approved in the 2010s generated a minimal amount of funding needed to prevent closure of the museums. Now, 13 years later, the funding is insufficient to attain standards for proper care of museum facilities and artifacts.
The additional 5 cents will generate approximately $284,000 per year. That means the owner of a $150,000 home would only pay $15.00 per year to support a program that houses a vast collection of Klamath County historical artifacts and documents.
Todd Kepple and his team’s outreach programs — like Night at the Cemetery, free trolley tours, downtown walking tours and nature walks — are hugely popular. The Museum has 10,000 Facebook followers and is rated No. 1 on Trip Advisor for Klamath Falls. Paying an extra nickel per $1,000 assessed value to support the Museum is a good return on investment.
The total revenue provided to the museums has gone up and down, but on average has remained virtually the same as what was provided in the original levy, and that was the minimum to keep the doors open when the county commissioners quit supporting the museums.
Direct operating expenses have more than doubled. Medical insurance alone has gone up more that five times. https://www.facebook.com/museumsupporters
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Oct 28, 2023 Live on the local fm station 102.7 fm KTNT Klamath Falls, Oregon.
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