Lane County voters back Willamalane, OSU Extension levies in close counts

Lane County voters put two local levies back on track in the final count, preserving Willamalane Park and Recreation District services in Springfield and keeping Oregon State University Extension programming alive in communities from Florence to Oakridge after both measures had looked headed for defeat.

The latest unofficial tally showed Willamalane’s Measure 20-384 ahead 51.35% to 48.65%, a margin of 474 votes. The OSU Extension levy, Measure 20-380, led 50.32% to 49.68%, by 753 votes. Neither result becomes official until Lane County certifies the election by June 15, but the late reversal has already changed the outlook for programs that serve families, youth and rural residents across the county.

For Willamalane, the levy would raise about $8,427,029 over five years and cost property owners 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The district said it is the first local option levy for general operations since its permanent tax rate was established in 1997. Chief Operating Officer Eric Adams called the count a “roller coaster” and said a failure would have forced about $1.5 million in annual cuts, with some programs at risk of shutting down. Willamalane said the measure is meant to sustain existing operations and keep services at current levels.

The OSU Extension measure would raise the local tax rate to 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value and renew a five-year levy that supports local program staff, office staff, facilities and operations. Richard Riggs, Western Region Director for OSU’s Extension Service, said the funding would support 4-H youth programming and other outreach across Lane County, with an emphasis on leadership, civic responsibility and life skills.

Extension officials said county funds make up about 60% of the service’s support, which makes the levy central to maintaining its presence in Lane County. The service reported 15,443 volunteer hours in 2025. It also pointed to a longer funding cycle that included an office shutdown after a failed measure in 2016, a reopening with a smaller levy later that year and an expansion in 2021.

That 2021 levy passed with 66.8% support and broadened services into Florence, Elmira, Deadwood, the upper McKenzie corridor, Lowell, Oakridge and Westfir, with future expansion expected toward the McKenzie River area. If the current count holds, those programs will continue and likely grow, giving both Willamalane and OSU Extension breathing room after a close and uncertain election night.