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63 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 18, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 4, 2005 Bill protects timber subsidies By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Oregon’s congressional delegates proposed legislation Thursday to ensure that Jackson County continues to receive annual federal timber subsidies, thereby avoiding future cuts in law enforcement, schools and other services. The county was bracing for a cutoff in 2007 of this federal money, given to counties to offset the loss in timber revenue on federal lands. In 2004, the county received $24 million. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith, Rep. Greg Walden and other Oregon lawmakers, would authorize the continuation of a similar level of timber subsidies until 2013 if passed by Congress and approved by the president. Jackson County receives the third highest amount of timber money of the 32 counties in the state that are eligible. Douglas and Lane each receive in excess of $50 million annually. "It’s looking great so far," said county Commissioner Jack Walker, who has lobbied for continuation of the funding. Advertisement But President Bush has warned the federal budget would offer the smallest increases in spending in recent history, Walker said. If Congress votes down the bill, Walker said the county would take the steps necessary to cut its budget. Carol Guthrie, spokesperson for Wyden, said the senator and other lawmakers acknowledge that it is a tight budget year. "It is very different from 2000," she said. "But there is a difference between belt tightening and strangling off rural funding." The bill is being sponsored by senior members of Congress who have widespread support for continuing with the timber money, she said. "This funding does amazing things in Oregon’s rural communities and Oregon’s rural schools," Guthrie said. Walden, in a prepared statement, said Oregon and other states were hard hit by a reduction in tax revenues as the federal government created more and more forestlands over the years. About 50 percent of Jackson County is forestland. "The financial benefit from this law to a district like mine is directly proportional to the loss in timber jobs and the resultant harm to the economy of these same communities over the last 20 years," he said. Walden, who is chairman of the House subcommittee on forests and forest health, said the bill has broad support among legislators. "We are here today in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion in support of legislation that is essential to rural communities throughout the nation," he stated. Smith, in a prepared statement, said, "Oregon communities lost 35,000 jobs in the forests during the last decade with the decline of timber harvests. Providing these payments is the very least we can do." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Advertisement s