Hood River County Commissioners have voted to place a proposed public safety levy on the May ballot.  The Commission took the action after a public hearing Tuesday night on the five-year levy for 78-cents-per-$1,000 of assessed property value that is the second attempt to address the County’s budget shortfalls.  Both a local option levy and a prepared food and beverage tax for general county operations failed last year.  Some at the hearing were wondering how the levy would affect other County operations, and Commission Chair Mike Oates says they can’t guarantee anything beyond public safety.  Oates added while if the levy is approved those funds will go into the general fund, that money will be accounted for separately and be overseen each year by the County’s budget committee.