Portland's parks and natural areas are integral to the city's identity, but the city's parks system faces major financial challenges, including a massive maintenance backlog and generally unsustainable funding mechanisms. In a special election this fall, voters will be asked to approve a new, five-year levy to stop the bleeding at Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R). If the measure passes, it will enact a property tax of $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed property value, running the average Portland property owner about $310 annually.