Most of us do not know much about local governments; and we know less about special districts. Special districts are a form of local government created by a local community to meet a specific need. Inadequate revenue bases and competing demands for existing taxes make it difficult for cities and counties form a district to pay for them.

Each special district focuses on a specific set of services, like fire protection, water, healthcare, parks and recreation, among many others. There are currently 34 different types of special districts in Oregon.

Communities and the services they want to be provided. to provide all of the services that their constituents want. When residents or landowners want new services or higher levels of existing services, they can Special districts can cross city and county lines to provide focused services to communities of different sizes, allowing them to address their common needs. Special districts can be small, such as a fire protection district serving a rural unincorporated area. They can also cover multi county regions. The boundaries of special districts are not dependent on the county or city that the residents live in. Instead, special district boundaries are defined by the common needs of the Like cities and counties, special districts can sign contracts, employ workers and acquire real property through purchase or eminent domain. Following constitutional limits, they can also issue bonds, impose special taxes, levy assessments, and charge services fees. Like other governments, special districts can sue and be sued. Most independent special districts have boards elected directly by the residents and landowners in the district, making special districts accountable to the people they serve. The special district board is the governing body of the special district. They set policies that are carried out by the district’s employees. The special district’s general manager is charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the district and reports directly to the board of directors.