Document text
Ruling favors county in suit on SOHS levy Historical society weighs appeal of judge's decision; budget cut looms By JILL BRISKEY Jackson County has no obligation to give the Southern Oregon Historical Society the funds created by a bond levy passed in 1948, a circuit court judge ruled on Friday. Judge Mitchell Karaman took the matter under advisement on Monday and awarded the county summary judgment, basically dismissing the case. The ruling may put an end to the nearly 3-year battle between the county and historical society. "We're going to consider our options, meet with our attorney, and ultimately it's the board of directors' decision," said Brad Linder, executive director of the historical society. "I don't know if there will be an appeal." Karaman's decision was announced on the same day that the county's 2002-03 fiscal budget was approved. Linder said the historical society's annual allotment was once again slashed, this time cut $100,000 to $1.3 million. "That's not good either, but I'm going to take the positive approach here and we're going to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and move on," he added. The Southern Oregon Historical Society, on behalf of 14 smaller agencies, filed the lawsuit against Jackson County in February 2001 because the society's annual allotment had been reduced by 14 percent in 2000. The lawsuit demanded the county give local historical societies all the money (25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value) generated from the 54-year-old continuing levy. The society argued those funds were clearly intended for historical society purposes and that the county should abide by voter wishes. The levy brought in an estimated $2.2 million a year, Linder estimated. But County Counsel Mike Jewett argued that the 1997 property tax measure, Measure 50, lifted the county's financial obligation. He said it took all existing levies and rolled them into the county's general fund, freeing the county of obligation to the historical society or to any other county operations funded by separate levies. "We're very pleased," Jewett said Friday afternoon. "Obviously this is a huge case for the county." In his ruling, Karaman wrote that the county did not have a statutory obligation to provide funds to the historical society and agreed that Measure 50 lifted the obligation. "As a consequence of (Measure) 50, the historical society must now compete with all of the other services provided by the county such as health, safety and welfare for the tax dollars collected ... ," Karaman wrote. Since the county began decreasing its funding, Linder said the Southern Oregon Historical Society has been forced to cut its operating budget by more than 40 percent. He anticipates the board of directors will make a decision regarding an appeal within two weeks. Linder also said staff will begin looking for ways to cut another $100,000 out of its operating budget before the fiscal year begins July 1. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.