Month: November 2025

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. {KTVZ} — The Bend Park and Recreation Board is taking a closer look at how city tax breaks and development incentives could affect the long-term funding of parks and community spaces.

During this week’s meeting, Park District officials discussed how tax exemptions and financing tools—such as tax increment financing (TIFs)—are being used to promote affordable housing and spur redevelopment across Bend. While those programs are designed to support city growth, board members said they may also reduce the revenue that funds essential services.

Board Director Jodie Schiffman voiced frustration over the growing disconnect between the district and the City of Bend. She emphasized that the two agencies are not operating in alignment, and that existing tax exemption programs are limiting the amount of property tax money directed to local services, including parks.

Park Planner Rachel Colton explained that while the city’s focus on growth brings opportunity, it also comes with trade-offs. “Unfortunately, we don’t have many mechanisms to offset lost revenue,” she said. “Our primary funding comes from property taxes, system development charges, and user fees. Beyond potential bonds or levies, there aren’t many ways for us to recoup those funds.”

According to city estimates, current and proposed tax exemptions could total around $40 million in foregone revenue for local districts over the next 30 years. That figure has prompted park leaders to ask difficult questions—chief among them, how to replace the lost funding and how much influence the Park District has in the city’s tax decisions.

“For the TIF districts, those are specified by Oregon law,” Colton noted. “But we have no approval authority over them.”

Colton added that property taxes are what sustain the district’s daily operations. Reductions through exemptions and TIFs, she warned, directly impact park programs. “For example, a projected $800,000 loss in property taxes equals the amount we provided in scholarship programs last year,” she said.

These discussions are expected to continue through the fall as Bend evaluates its housing and redevelopment strategies.

City and park officials alike acknowledge that finding a balance between growth and sustainability will be one of the community’s biggest fiscal challenges in the years ahead.

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KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Next year, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

To commemorate this milestone, the Deschutes County Elections Office is hosting an “I Voted” sticker contest for the 2026 elections.

:Students in grades K-12 are encouraged to design a sticker that celebrates our right to vote,” the county said in Tuesday’s announcement.

Winning designs will be printed on stickers for 2026 voters and be featured on the Deschutes County Voter Pamphlet cover.

Contest winners will be divided into two categories:

Elementary school (K-5): Winner’s sticker will be featured for the 2026 Primary Election in May.

Middle-high school (6-12): Winner’s sticker will be featured for the General Election in November.

Sticker design submissions will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2026. Winners will be announced in February.

Here are the contest rules:

Design must fit within the circular template. It will be resized to fit a two-inch diameter “I Voted” sticker.

Design must be hand rendered. No digital, AI generated, or altered images will be accepted.

Design should be nonpartisan and not reference any political party.

Design should include the colors red, white and blue.

Design must be original. No clip art, reused imagery, or copyrighted images should be used.

The contest entry form and submission instructions can be found on the Deschutes County Clerk’s website.

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KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — With winter approaching, the Oregon Department of Transportation says its crews will close the east side of McKenzie Pass, Oregon Highway 242, on Thursday, marking the start of the full seasonal closure.

The west side of the pass closed three weeks ago, on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

New this year: The east-side gate has been moved a mile closer to Sisters, to provide a safer turnaround area for drivers.

Here’s the rest of Tuesday’s ODOT announcement:

McKenzie Pass is a scenic, secondary highway that closes each year as winter weather approaches. Due to weather, cost, and logistics, ODOT does not maintain the route through the winter, focusing instead on keeping main highways plowed, open, and safe. During the closure, vehicles are prohibited beyond the gates.  

The annual seasonal closure is a highway closure, not a closure of public lands. Non-vehicle recreational users, such as skiers, snowshoers, and pedestrians going beyond the closed gates do so at their own risk.

The U.S. Forest Service has published guidelines for recreating in a National Forest. Recreationalists choosing to visit the area should follow the USFS guidelines and consider the potential risks.

Because the road is not maintained in winter, conditions can be hazardous. There are no services or cell coverage, and weather can change rapidly. As snow melts in spring, recreational users may encounter fallen trees, rockslides and damaged pavement.

McKenzie Pass became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 with the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of Oregon Highway 126.

Even during its time as the main route between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation (5,325 feet) made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear during the winter months.

To see what routes are open over the mountains and to view current road and weather conditions, visit TripCheck.com or call 511.

More information on McKenzie Pass, OR 242, can be found on ODOT’s website. 

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