Source: David Nogueras, Oregon Public Broadcasting

As Oregon homeowners begin to receive their annual property tax assessments, the League of Oregon Cities is out with a new report called “Where the Money Goes.”

It looks at tax collections in eight cities throughout the state, as well as some of the challenges those governments continue to face post-recession.

Take Eugene, where city leaders have made deep cuts to services, but still face long-term funding problems.

Chris Fick is a tax and finance analyst with the League of Oregon Cities.

“Overall, while the economic recovery is beginning, the services that we’ve cut over the past five years are not going to be immediately provided overnight. It’s going to take cities awhile to build back up their reserve funds and start adding services back to a level that citizens have come to expect,” said Fick.

Fick says while the report is designed to provide taxpayers with a snapshot of city finances, local governments are also required to file comprehensive annual financial statements.

He says those can be downloaded from the website of the Oregon Secretary of State.

PRP