Hood River County Sheriff Matt English has put a five-year public safety levy on the table as an option to help the County deal with its budget shortfall.  English has maintained for some time that his department has fallen behind in many areas because of funding issues and growth of the County both in terms of general population and visitor counts.  English says a five-year levy with a tax rate of between $1 and $1.50 per thousand dollars of assessed property value can get the department where it needs to be, adding going with a five-year levy adds a level of accountability.  English made a presentation on the concept to the County Budget Committee, and the County Commission will have the final say on whether any revenue measure goes to the ballot.  The Sheriff’s Department has planned a series of community meetings on the subject over the next month, starting this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Mt. Hood Town Hall.