Patti Adair Repeatedly Voted To Raise Property Taxes On Deschutes County Residents Despite Expressing Concerns About High Taxes
May 2023: Adair Voted To Raise Property Taxes For Rural Residents By Six Cents Per $1,000 In Assessed Property Value
May 2023: Adair Voted To Raise Property Taxes For Rural Residents By Six Cents Per $1,000 In Assessed Property Value. Deschutes County Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone approved a nearly $14,000 salary increase for themselves last month, outvoting the commission's third member, Phil Chang, who said he will refuse to accept the raise. The decision, which brought commissioners' pay budget from $111,422 annually to $125,149, was a part of deliberations during the last week of May. In the same meeting, commissioners also raised property taxes for rural county residents by 6 cents to roughly $1.28 per $1,000 in assessed property value.” [Bend Bulletin, 6/7/23]
Adair Said That The Tax Increase Was Necessary Due To High Interest Rates And Dwindling Revenues In Departments Across The County. “Deschutes County Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone approved a nearly $14,000 salary increase for themselves last month, outvoting the commission's third member, Phil Chang, who said he will refuse to accept the raise. The decision, which brought commissioners' pay from $111,422 annually to $125,149, was a part of budget deliberations during the last week of May. In the same meeting, commissioners also raised property taxes for rural county residents by 6 cents to roughly $1.28 per $1,000 in assessed property value. Adair thought both increases were fair. High interest rates and dwindling revenues in departments across the county couldn't be ignored, which is why the tax increase was necessary, she told The Bulletin. As for the raise, it was a recommendation from the county's elected official compensation committee. ‘I definitely didn't do the job for the money,’ Adair said. ‘I work really hard at my job.’” [Bend Bulletin, 6/7/23]
May 2022: Adair Voted In Favor Of A Property Tax Increase Of Six Cents Per $1,000 Of Assessed Value
May 2022: Adair Voted In Favor Of A Property Tax Increase Of Six Cents Per $1,000 Of Assessed Value. “A proposal to increase the property taxes for general Deschutes County operations failed to pass, but the sheriff's office rural law enforcement district will likely see a rate increase of 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The Deschutes County Budget Committee on Thursday voted 3-3 on the proposal to raise Deschutes County's property tax assessment rate by 6 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over the current rate, roughly $1.22 per $1,000 of assessed value. Commissioner Phil Chang proposed the increase, which would have brought the county's tax rate back up to what it previously was before a previous commission reduced it in 2018. […] Fellow Commissioner Patti Adair also voted in favor of the increase. When asked why, Adair said in an interview she was concerned about increasing costs for capital projects like the courthouse. She also said she was concerned about raising taxes on residents when inflation is so high.”” [Bend Bulletin, 5/29/22]
- May 2022: The Property Tax Increase Failed To Pass, With The Deschutes County Budget Committee Vote Tying 3-3. “A proposal to increase the property taxes for general Deschutes County operations failed to pass, but the sheriff's office rural law enforcement district will likely see a rate increase of 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The Deschutes County Budget Committee on Thursday voted 3-3 on the proposal to raise Deschutes County's property tax assessment rate by 6 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over the current rate, roughly $1.22 per $1,000 of assessed value. Commissioner Phil Chang proposed the increase, which would have brought the county's tax rate back up to what it previously was before a previous commission reduced it in 2018.” [Bend Bulletin, 5/29/22]
May 2022: Adair Said She Was Concerned About Raising Taxes When Inflation Was High. “Raising the tax rate back up to its original rate would pull in roughly $1.8 million a year, according to the county's finance department. ‘The context is that we are at a crossroads year,’ Chang told The Bulletin. ‘From this point forward, our reserves are steadily being drawn down, (and) we have huge capital construction needs coming up in the next few years. Looking at our assessed rate is one of the ways the county is able to provide services to a growing community.’ Fellow Commissioner Patti Adair also voted in favor of the increase. When asked why, Adair said in an interview she was concerned about increasing costs for capital projects like the courthouse. She also said she was concerned about raising taxes on residents when inflation is so high.” [Bend Bulletin, 5/29/22]
2018: Adair Expressed Concerns About High Property Tax Burdens In Deschutes County
2018: Adair: “A Lot Of People Are Paying More For Their Property Taxes Than They Are For Their Mortgage, […] They're Getting Hammered.” “The Democrat Party has fielded one candidate for each position in the primary - Amy Lowes seeking Position 1 and James Cook aiming for Position 3. Adair, a former CPA, says she is concerned about county finances and the property tax burden borne by local residents. ‘A lot of people are paying more for their property taxes than they are for their mortgage,’ she said. ‘They're getting hammered. I just am hearing from too many people who are struggling to stay here.’” [Nugget Newspaper, 5/2/18]
2025: Adair Said She “Worked Tirelessly To Keep Property Taxes Down” On Her Campaign Website
Adair Stated That She “Worked Tirelessly To Keep Property Taxes Down” And That Taxes Were Down $0.06/Per Thousand Since She Took Office As County Commissioner. “Fiscal Operations & Responsibility: As a CPA, Patti is uniquely positioned to bring fiscal responsibility to county government. She is creative, innovative, and a good steward of our collective resources. She has worked tirelessly to keep property taxes down (in fact, they are down $0.06/per thousand for the past four years under Patti’s leadership). These efforts are critical, especially as our community experiences severe inflation. Patti will continue this fight in the coming years and remains respectful of your hard-earned money.” [Patti Adair For Deschutes County Commission via Internet Archive, accessed 1/24/25]
Image: see original report, p. 18
[Patti Adair For Deschutes County Commission via Internet Archive, accessed 1/24/25]