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SOHS proposes settlement Staff reports MEDFORD - In a spirit of compromise, the Southern Oregon Historical Society has proposed a settlement with Jackson County to end an ongoing legal dispute over funding. John Enders, society executive director, said the stakes are high if either side loses in the courts. "If the county loses, a whole lot of money will come out of its general fund," he said. "If we lose, that will mean most of our funding is wiped out." The historical society proposes divvying up the $3.3 million that it says it's entitled to from a 54-year-old property tax levy. However, the county says the historical society entitlement was wiped out after the passage of Measure 50, a 1997 initiative that required the consolidation of levies. A lawsuit filed by the historical society is now in the state Court of Appeals. Enders said the proposal would guarantee the historical society $1 million. The remaining $2.3 million would be divided evenly between the county and other historical societies in Jackson County. "This is a sharing formula that would allow the historical society to survive," said Enders. "We're the only county (in the state) where the county commission is slicing away at our funds." The county is proposing cutting the society's share of funding by $500,000 in the next two years to help preserve other programs like health services. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -