Coos County Watchdog


  • Home >>>
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Links
    • Whistle-Blower’s Page
  • Blog >>>
    • Info Blogs
  • Issues >>>
    • Johnson Creek Dam
    • Jury Nullification >
      • Jury Nullification on Facebook
    • More Choices in Bandon
    • NO Bandon Marsh Expansion >
      • Bandon Marsh Expansion on Facebook
    • Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance >
      • S.A.S.O on FB
    • State of Jefferson >
      • State of Jefferson on Facebook
    • The Coos County Charter
    • Urban Renewal Information

Rural timber county payments remain alive

4/23/2012

Comments

 
Rural timber county payments remain alive
Congress may extend them one more year under House bill

April 22, 2012

  By JEFF BARNARD
The Associated Press
GRANTS PASS — A glimmer of hope has arisen in Congress
for extending federal payments to rural timber counties, but even if the money
comes, it would fall far short of what's needed to stave off painful cuts.


The House this week passed a short-term extension of
transportation funding, raising the possibility it could be melded with a Senate
version that has an amendment extending $106.4 million in payments to Oregon
timber counties for one more year.


Sen. Ron Wyden's office said as long as no one in the
House actively opposes it, county payments should be in the final bill.


"We're counting on our House colleagues to ensure that
doesn't happen," said Jen Hoelzer, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Democrat.


Timber counties across the country have been getting a
subsidy since 2000 to make up for reductions in their share of federal timber
revenues that plummeted when logging on national forests was cut more than 80
percent to protect habitat for fish and wildlife. The subsidies now have run
out.


The Senate measure would distribute $346 million to 700
counties in 41 states.


The amount represents a 5 percent reduction in the 2011
payments under the Secure Rural Schools Act and the Payment In Lieu of Taxes
program.


In Josephine County, which has long depended on the
payments, county Commissioner Simon Hare said the payments would cover just a
third of the $12 million budget shortfall the county has to plug by the end of
June.


Congress is unlikely to decide before May 15, when
Josephine County residents are voting on whether to quadruple property taxes —
the lowest in the state. If the four-year funding package fails, the county
plans to lay off 125 people in the criminal justice system and other county
services.


"We can't deal with what-ifs," said Hare. "This is an
election year. These guys are out in their districts. We don't expect Congress
to do a whole lot on our issue."


Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., hopes a conference committee
will soon approve the timber payments extension, said spokesman Andrew
Whelan.


"In the meantime, he will look for other vehicles and
continue working on the long-term solution," Whelan said in an email.


Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said a long-term
transportation bill is still needed, but he was happy the short-term extension
was approved.


"The House finally found the path out of dysfunction
junction on transportation," he said in a statement.


In Lane County, the largest recipient of timber payments
in Oregon, the general fund is falling by 25 percent, forcing sharp cuts to
criminal justice that could eliminate the county morgue and investigation of
routine deaths as well as positions for deputies and prosecutors. Even if timber
payments are restored, they only cover a third of the budget gap.


The Register-Guard reported that deputy state medical
examiner Dr. Dan Davis sent an email to mortuaries, health care providers and
police warning that planned cuts would spell the end of signed death
certificates in routine deaths, creating a nightmare for families trying to bury
the dead and settle estates.


Lane County District Attorney Alex Gardner said cuts
going into effect May 19 will mean the loss of two full-time and five part-time
medical death investigators, a part-time morgue attendant and autopsy
supplies.


With no county support, Davis would be transferred,
forcing Lane County to send bodies to other counties for autopsies, Oregon
Medical Examiner Karen Gunson told the newspaper.





HOME
Comments

    Categories

    All
    A.F.P.
    Agenda 21
    Bandon
    B.I.A.
    B.L.M.
    Coos Bay
    Coos County
    Coos County
    Coquille
    County Charter
    Curry County
    C.W.A.
    Democratic Party
    D.E.Q.
    Eco Devo
    Eco Devo
    Economic Development
    Educational
    Elections
    E.P.A.
    F.D.A.
    F.E.M.A.
    Individual Rights
    I Spy Radio
    Jury Nullification
    Legislation
    Letter To Editor
    Mary Geddry
    N.D.A.A.
    News Wave
    N.O.A.A.
    North Bend
    O&C Land
    O.D.F.W.
    O.D.O.T.
    O.F.F.
    O.H.A.
    O.P.R.D.
    O.R.C. Mining
    O.W.E.B.
    P.E.R.S.
    Petitions
    Port Of Coos Bay
    Public Comments
    Public Events
    Regulation
    Republican Party
    S.A.O.V.A.
    State Of Jefferson
    The Bandon Marsh
    The Economy
    The Rob Taylor Report
    The Supreme Court
    The Tea Party
    Urban Renewal
    U.S.A.C.E.
    U.S.D.A.
    U.S.F.S
    U.S.F.W.S.

    Sign-Up Now to Stay Informed

    * indicates required

    View previous campaigns.

    Send Letters to:
    ​[email protected]​

    Disclaimer: Letters to the Editor and other opinions published in The Coos County Watchdog blog are not necessarily the views of the Editor, Publisher, or possible anyone else in their right mind.  The Watchdog reserves the right to edit, omit, or copy any and all submissions. 
    Letters to the Editor must be attributed with a name, address, and contact phone number. 

    WARNING:
    Political correctness is not practiced on this
    page & some content is inappropriate

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo from DieselDemon