Public Safety Ballot Measure 

Opportunity

Dispel imminent cuts to essential fire and police services by gaining voter approval on an operating levy for the first time in over thirty years.

Approach

Why did Gresham voters reject a five-year public safety levy in May 2023 that would have prevented steep cuts to emergency services? The leaders in Oregon’s fourth-largest city hired DHM to get to the root of the cause. Taking a multi-layered approach, we reviewed past election results, interviewed civic leaders, and conducted focus groups. Analyzing the findings, we discovered that voters had concerns about the levy’s scope and cost. To test these findings, DHM randomly surveyed 400 Gresham voters in February 2024, which revealed support for a proposed levy at a lower rate, identified the most valued service priorities, and ascertained the strongest supporting arguments.

Results

With a deeper understanding of voter desires, Gresham leveraged our findings to refine the scope and rate of a new levy proposal, which voters approved in May 2024. The new levy will raise an estimated $65 million over five years, funding support for key personnel, emergency response services, enhanced patrols, and community safety programs.