Less than 1% margin — 40 votes — separates ‘yes’ and ‘no’ totals after all ballots received on election day counted; mailed ballots still coming in  

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news 

A measure directing revenue from Ashland’s Food and Beverage Tax on prepared foods to fund Parks & Recreation Department operations trailed by a narrow margin after all ballots received by the close of voting Tuesday were counted, but the official outcome was “too soon to tell,” according to the measure’s opponents. Mailed ballots postmarked no later than election day are still coming in, and will count as long as they’re received within seven days of election day.

Just 40 votes stand between proponents and opponents of a measure aimed at redirecting tax funding from the city’s Food and Beverage Tax and extending the tax to 2040, 10 years longer than its current scheduled expiration in 2030. A total of 50.29% of voters cast 3,422 votes against the measure with 3,382 votes votes cast for the measure, or 49.71% of the vote. 

Currently, the majority of the tax can be used for park capital improvements and paying off road repair loans, as previously reported by Ashland.news. Measure 15-214 would allow up to 73% of revenue to be used for parks operations and maintenance, while 25 percent would remain dedicated to parks capital improvements, according to a previous report by Ashland.news.

If the measure is officially rejected by the community, the current system of allocating the funds would remain.

“It’s a real surprise there are more ‘no’ votes than there are ‘yes’ votes,” said David Runkel, a member of the Citizen’s Budget Committee and an opponent of the measure, in a phone interview with Ashland.news on Tuesday evening.

If the no votes prevail, the tax will not be extended through Dec. 31, 2040, as proposed by the measure, but will end in December 2030.

“If it holds, I think it’s a terrific vote for the future of the city, because it … allows the City Council to decide where money should be spent,” Runkel told Ashland.news.

Runkel believes it puts a hold on what he believes is “future overspending by the parks department.”

“But we don’t know how it’s going to turn out,” he said. “Too soon to tell.”

Neither APRC Chair Rick Landt nor former APRC board member Mike Gardiner, both proponents, were immediately available for comment shortly after polls closed.

Runkel said he believes it has been a very good debate within the community.

The voters were asked whether the city should amend the ordinance to dedicate more revenues to city parks, open space, recreation and senior service purposes, according to the Jackson County Voters’ Pamphlet. 

Speaking for the measure, proponent Mike Gardiner said publicly in the forum hosted by League of Women Voters that it would not increase the budget of APRD, but would change how existing department funds can be allocated. He said the food and beverage tax has already been a staple of department revenue for three decades.  

Gardiner encouraged support for Measure 15-214 by saying many people come to Ashland for its parks, and said the city has set a goal for every neighborhood to have a city park within reasonable walking distance.

“It does not create any new money,” said Gardiner. “This is all money the city has used over the last 30 years.”

Ashland City Manager Joe Lessard explained during an April 28 forum hosted by League of Women Voters that the goal of Measure 15-214 is to free up revenue in the general fund that would otherwise be spent on APRD operations. He said the City Council would still retain control over how APRD expenses are budgeted.

Lessard said the food and beverage tax is estimated to generate $3.2 million in revenue this year, while APRD’s annual department budget is $8 million, as previously reported by Ashland.news.

Email Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.

Update, 11:25 p.m. Tuesday: Vote totals updated to results posted at 10:45 p.m.

Update, 11:45 p.m. Tuesday: Vote totals updated to results posted at 11:30 p.m.

Update, 7 p.m. Wednesday: Headline and first paragraph updated to better reflect current status.