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37 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, December 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 3, 2004 Talent voters reject bond issue for new city hall By VICKIE ALDOUS for the Mail Tribune Talent voters shot down a $5 million bond to build a new city hall and civic center, and also said no to a levy that would have funded parks operations. The failure of the civic center bond by a vote of 1,353 to 703 did not come as a surprise, but it was still disappointing for supporters. While 34.2 percent voted for the bond, a majority of 65.8 percent turned down the proposal. "I’m sorry it didn’t pass," said Talent Mayor Marian Telerski, a member of the Civic Center Master Plan Committee. "The need for a new city hall will not go away. I think it will come back to the voters." The price tag likely proved to be the downfall for the bond. Advertisement In a survey commissioned earlier this year by the city of Talent, 47 percent of respondents said they would support a civic center bond, and another 15 percent said they leaned toward supporting the bond, for a total of 62 percent with favorable views of the proposal. But support dropped once residents heard the costs. Only 34 percent said they would support a $5 million bond, which would cost the owner of a house assessed at $100,000 an extra $262 per year in property taxes. Civic center supporters may pare down the proposal and present it again to voters, according to Telerski. In conversations with residents, she said many recognized the need for a new building to replace the cramped city hall, but did not view the planned community meeting rooms as necessary. But others felt the rooms were needed, especially since public use of the historic Talent Community Center is limited due to the building’s fragility, she said. Voters also turned down a parks levy which would have cost $30 per year for the owner of a home assessed at $100,000. Fifty-nine percent of voters opposed the levy, which lost by a count of 1,227 to 848. "It was so little money," Telerski said. "I’m so surprised." In the community survey, a majority of sampled residents said they would support that levy amount for parks. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities