Politics
Narre Warren Referendum Guide Outlines Two Measures on Property Tax Adjustments and Park Maintenance Funding
Residents will see the concrete effects of the measures on annual bills and local services if voters approve them in the August election.
How we reported this
The Narre Warren city clerk distributed the official Ballot Measure and Referendum Guide on July 6 to all registered households. The 28-page document explains two measures that will appear on the August 4 ballot and projects their direct effects on property tax statements and recreation budgets.
Changes to assessment calculations
Measure A would alter the formula used to calculate the local property assessment rate from the current 0.78 percent of assessed value to 0.85 percent beginning with the 2027 tax year. The guide states that the median Narre Warren home valued at $312,000 would face an added $218 on its annual bill. Measure B would redirect a portion of existing park fees to cover maintenance at five specific sites, including the central sports fields and the eastern trail network, without raising new revenue.
The measures reach voters after the city’s 2026 budget papers recorded a $4.2 million shortfall in general fund revenue, driven largely by lower-than-expected commercial property collections in the previous two fiscal years. The guide reproduces the relevant sections of the city charter that require voter approval for any rate change above the annual inflation adjustment.
Effects on daily services and payments
For Narre Warren residents who own homes, passage of Measure A would appear as a line item on the first property tax installment due in February 2027. Renters would see the cost passed through in lease renewals, because the guide notes that landlords typically incorporate tax increases into monthly rents within six months. Households that use the five parks listed under Measure B would continue to pay the existing $35 annual park access fee, but the city would allocate an additional $680,000 from that revenue stream to mowing, lighting repairs and path resurfacing rather than to new equipment purchases.
The guide supplies a household impact table showing that a family with two children who visit the central sports fields twice weekly would experience no change in out-of-pocket costs under Measure B. It also lists the addresses of the five parks and the exact budget lines that would receive the redirected funds.
Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters on July 20. The city clerk’s office will accept completed ballots through August 4 at the municipal building on Main Street or by secure drop box at the library branch on Elm Road. Results are scheduled for certification by August 11.