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Road to Nowhere By DAMIAN MANN,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By DAMIAN MANN,Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 18, 2007 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 11:01 AM By DAMIAN MANN,Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 18, 2007 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 11:01 AM » Social News Across southwest Oregon, local governments brace for the impact of unprecedented revenue losses; in Curry County, the end result could literally be 'the end' — GOLD BEACH & 8212; Tsunami warning signs are a reminder of the dangers of living in this remote Oregon coastal town at the mouth of the Rogue River. But a more immediate danger threatens Gold Beach: A budget hole caused by the loss of a federal safety net could bankrupt Curry County, shutting down the sheriff's department, road department and other services that residents expect. That news has created a buzz along the Highway 101 business district in the county seat, which has the ocean on one side and the steep coastal range on the other. "This is going to be the death knell for this little town," predicted Shauna Silva, 51, who had hoped to get a permanent job in county government, where she works parttime. "This was not a great town to find a job in, anyway," added the Gold Beach resident. "There is no precedence for this," said Curry County Commissioner Marlyn Schafer, who has pleaded for help from lawmakers in Salem and Washington, D.C., and led town hall meetings with her two fellow commissioners to explain what's at stake to local residents. Their message: A federal safety net that has helped pay for local government for years has disappeared, wiping out more than 50 percent of the county's budget. The county is even entertaining the possibility of not being a county anymore. Curry may be absorbed into either Coos or Josephine counties nearby, or it could be taken over by the state. The loss of federal timber subsidies will impact counties throughout southwestern Oregon, forcing Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Douglas and Coos to cut back on law enforcement, public health, road maintenance and libraries. Curry County, according to the Association of Oregon Counties, will be one of the hardest hit in the state. With the loss of half its $8 million general fund budget, the county doesn't have enough left over to keep the doors open. Unlike some of its neighbors, Curry doesn't have any reserves to help it limp along for a few years. "If we do not get this money, we're bankrupt," said Schafer. "There is no way we can run the county on existing revenue." Libraries, at least, will stay intact. Unlike Jackson County, Curry's libraries are an independent special district with its own tax revenue. Jackson County's library system is scheduled to close April 6 because of a $23 million shortfall caused by the loss of federal money. Curry County Commissioner Lucie La Bont& 233; said she first ran for office on a ticket of no more taxes, but has reversed her stand because of the budget crisis. Commissioners likely will place a five-year levy on the May ballot asking voters in this generally conservative and tax-adverse county to support adding 59 cents for every $1,000 in assessed valuation on their properties. Curry has one of the lowest permanent tax rates in the state & 8212; 60 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. comparison, Jackson County's permanent rate is $2. One of the big problems faced by Curry and other Southern Oregon counties is the amount of land owned by the federal or state government that is not subject to property taxes. In Curry County, 60 percent of the land doesn't generate tax revenue. Before the mill closed in the 1980s and before environmental restrictions, Curry received a substantial part of its revenue from timber harvests on federal lands. La Bont& 233; said the federal government has an obligation to financially support this area. "In my heart I feel the federal government made a contract with this county," she said. Commissioner Georgia Yee Nowlin said the county has had to survive other crises, including the closure of the mill. She is confident residents will find a way out of this dilemma. "They have learned to adapt," she said. Chery Keyser, owner of Fabric-'N-More, said the county has very little choice but to vote for the levy in May to continue services. "As a property owner, I would vote for it even though I'm taxed to death," she said. Keyser said people already are moving out of Gold Beach for lack of jobs. Much of the business in Gold Beach is tourism, which fell below expectations last year. Since many visitors come from surrounding counties that also are laying off good-paying government jobs, the cuts will have a ripple effect on Gold Beach, Keyser said. "I am very afraid of how it's going to affect me," she said. Melinda McVey, president of the Gold Beach Chamber of Commerce and owner of the Purple Cow Crafts store, said the area is dependent on tourism from inland areas such as Medford. The other major economic driver is county jobs, she said. "If we lose all county jobs, I can see Gold Beach closing and turning out the lights," she said. Ted Eady, owner of the Inn of the Beachcomber, said he didn't think the county's problems would have much impact on business owners. A Sisters resident, Eady comes to the coast often as he renovates the inn. Looking around at the town, he said, "When father time was going around changing the rest of the world, he kind of forgot about this place." Buck Rosendahl, owner of Woof's Dog Bakery, said, "When you lose jobs, you lose business." If the sheriff's department closes, the loss of 11 deputies is cause for grave concern, Rosendahl said. "It's going to invite more crime if you don't have patrols," he said. Rosendahl blames much of the budget crunch on a lack of planning by local government officials during the past 20 years. He also points to problems with the federal government that have a direct effect on Gold Beach. "The federal government is spending billions of dollars overseas in the Iraq thing & 8212; that really bothers me," said Rosendahl. Americans, he said, aren't paying enough attention to the repercussions of a prolonged and expensive war and how it ultimately affects Southern Oregon. "This country is being dummied down," he said. Russ Merkley, Gold Beach police chief, shares Rosendahl's concerns about the potential for more crime if the sheriff's department closes. He said his officers will no longer have deputies for backup if the county goes bankrupt. "It will place our police officers at a higher risk and it will place the citizens of the community at a higher risk," he said. Curry County has had its share of problems this year that have added to the unease felt by local residents over their future. In January, Sheriff Mark Metcalf was arraigned in Curry County Circuit Court on 11 misdemeanor charges stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct with female victims. Last week Bob Bare, Gold Beach city administrator, resigned because he felt he couldn't do an effective job working only 16 hours a week. On the same day, Michelle Martin, Gold Beach councilwoman, also resigned to show her support for Bare. But Gold Beach has bounced back before. The chamber's McVey cites the mill closure, when "this was a ghost town." McVey said townspeople remain friendly but filled with opinions. "This is a bit like a modern-day Peyton Place," said McVey. "It's never boring in Gold Beach." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or . — — if (!title) { var title="Article from the MailTribune.com "; }if (!tags) { var tags="mail tribune medford oregon news newspaper" } document.write (""); By DAMIAN MANN,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By DAMIAN MANN,Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 18, 2007 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 11:01 AM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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