Vote Yes for the Oregon Zoo Bond
A better zoo for animals and you
We love the Oregon Zoo.
It is a place where our community gathers to celebrate and care for animals, open the natural world to children, and play a significant role in the conservation of endangered species here in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. The zoo is not only well-loved, it is also well-used, attracting over 1.3 million visits in the last year alone.
But parts of the zoo are aging. Some exhibits were built more than 50 years ago, making it difficult to maintain the high standards of animal care the Oregon Zoo is nationally known for.
Voting YES for the Oregon Zoo Bond is critically important for ensuring the well-being of animals, strengthening conservation and education, and improving the visitor experience. And it will do all that without increasing the tax rate we are paying today!
What the Bond Will Do
Protect Animal Well-Being
The Bond will replace aging infrastructure that affects the health and well-being of the 1,500 animals in the zoo’s care by updating outdated enclosures with larger, more natural habitats that keep them safe and emotionally and physically healthy.
It will invest in excellent animal and veterinary care, improve heating, cooling, and electrical systems, fresh water for pools, and protect animals and visitors from heat, extreme weather and natural disasters.
Strengthen Educational Opportunities
One of the essential missions of the Oregon Zoo is to educate children about wildlife and nature in a way that just isn’t possible through videos or books. More than 415,000 children visit the zoo or participate in zoo programming a year.
The Bond will improve facilities to enhance educational opportunities for children and visitors of all ages to learn about animals and habitat conservation.
Improve Conservation and Sustainability
Improve facilities that support the zoo’s conservation work protecting and restoring threatened and endangered species in the Northwest and beyond.
The bond will also do its part in combating climate change by conserving water and energy in zoo operations and infrastructure.
An Accountable Investment
The last Oregon Zoo bond passed in 2008, delivered all its promised projects on time and within budget — updating about 40% of the zoo, including Elephant Lands, the Veterinary Medical Center, Polar Passage, Primate Forest, and more.
Voting for this renewal will advance the next phase of critical investments to keep your zoo a great place for animals and the community.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON YOUR MAY BALLOT
BONDS TO PROTECT ANIMAL HEALTH; PROVIDE CONSERVATION, EDUCATION; INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY.
Ballot question: Shall Zoo protect animal health; save water, energy; provide conservation, youth education; issue bonds estimated not to increase tax rate?
Answer: Measure is estimated not to increase tax rates, as previous bonds are repaid. Estimated bond costs are 8.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value annually. Requires annual audits, and community oversight committee.
