Counties prepare tomeet timber payment challenge
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 12:19 PM PDT
EUGENE (AP) — Lane County started notifying more than 120 workers that they could be laid off or forced into lower-paying jobs by the end of May because of the potential loss of a federal payment program.
By July 1, the county plans to cut the equivalent of 196 full-time jobs — 12 percent of the work force. It’s the largest cut to county government since 1983, a year that saw the collapse of the timber industry, budget manager David Garnick said.
And Lane is not the only county planning cuts.
The state’s congressional delegation is fighting for reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act. The 2000 act, meant to replace counties’ share of declining timber revenue from public lands, sent about $1.6 billion to 33 of Oregon’s 36 counties. About half of the money went to general funds, with the rest going to roads and schools.
It expired in 2006, but Congress last May renewed it for one year.
Tim Nesbitt, co-chairman of a state task force looking at ways to mitigate the loss of the funds, said Oregon might get another last-minute renewal, but it’s unlikely to keep happening.
‘‘The next reauthorization, if it comes, is likely to be the last,’’ he said.
Without the money, Nesbitt said 23 counties face losses of more than 20 percent to either their general or road funds.
The potential loss of the money has unnerved the governments of Eugene and Springfield, both of which rely on Lane County to provide services ranging from the lockup of criminals to the leashing of dogs.
Elected officials from the three governments will meet next week to see whether critical services can be kept afloat if the county lays off scores of employees. The biggest pending cuts are the closure of the county animal control agency, and sharp reductions in beds at the county jail. Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy and Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken said public safety will be at the top of the list when the elected officials decide whether the cities can pay more to help support county services. On Tuesday, Nesbitt and other members of the task force described some of the ideas they will likely give to Gov. Ted Kulongoski this month to help stabilize counties’ revenues. These include changes to state law that would allow counties to spend more of their lodging tax on basic services or charge utilities for use of right of ways, as cities do.
But an increase in timber receipts through stepped-up logging would likely be needed to ensure counties can sustain services at the levels provided using the federal payments.
‘‘We are not asking the state for a bailout,’’ said Bobby Green, Lane County commissioner and task force co-chairman. ‘‘What we are asking for is a bridge to allow us as counties to help ourselves.’’
