PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Nine months after Vancouver voters struck down a proposition to increase police funding, city leaders have voted to send another public safety levy to the November ballot.
Vancouver City Council unanimously approved Proposition 5, which could hike the local property tax levy by 15 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value, on Monday. If approved by voters in the upcoming election, the increase is expected to generate another $5.6 million for public safety services annually for six years starting in 2026.
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The levy would also help the Vancouver Police Department pay for new equipment and vehicles, and hire up to 13 officers.
“Vancouver continues to grow, and with that growth comes new demands on our officers,” VPD Chief Troy Price said in a statement. “Proposition 5 is a direct response to those demands.”…