Jackson County officials claim headway this week convincing Capitol Hill to back a federal timber program that funnels $23 million annually into local government.
"We came here quite pessimistic, and we're leaving here quite optimistic," said Commissioner Dave Gilmour.
Commissioner C.W. Smith said, "It has gone very well."
Gilmour, Smith and interim County Administrator Danny Jordan joined more than 200 other representatives lobbying for 700 counties that depend on the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act.
The act provides $400 million annually to offset the loss of timber revenue because of environmental restrictions. It expires in 2007.
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Smith said the White House will back the program for another year. "It has very broad bipartisan support," he said.
A one-year extension would give the county extra time to better prepare for tighter budgets in Jackson County. Commissioners attempted to persuade legislators to sponsor the one-year extension. The more sponsors a piece of legislation has, the better its chances of getting funded, they said.
Jordan said the county is preparing a plan in case the timber money is cut, which would mean $4 million less for road construction. In addition, the county is considering closing libraries, cutting sheriff's patrols and paring back on such programs as community justice, search and rescue and forest education programs.
Jackson County schools receive an additional $1.2 million from the timber receipts. Across the country, 4,400 school districts that rely on a share of the money would vie for other scarce federal dollars to make up the difference.
"Every school is going to lose," said Jordan.
Local commissioners met with senators and representatives from this area to coordinate their efforts to secure the funding. Gilmour met with legislators from New York, Smith conferred with those from Ohio and Jordan talked to representatives from Michigan.
Gilmour said he received support from the Services Employees International Union — one of the largest unions in Jackson County.
Smith said that despite the support, a big question remains: "Where will the funding come from?"
With two weeks left before Congress recesses, Smith expects the funding issue might be resolved in an 11th-hour decision.
Legislators from Oregon have already cobbled together $63 million that could be used, but it's still a fraction of what's needed.
Another big question that remains for the future, said Smith, is how the county can increase timber sales to make up for the loss of the federal money.
Smith said he tried to explain the importance of renewing the funding to legislators who don't represent timber-dependent areas.
The $23 million locally represents a large portion of the county's $270 million budget. Commissioners have full discretion on how the replacement funding is spent, using it to keep libraries open and for sheriff's patrols. A majority of the money that flows into the county is earmarked for roads or health services.
Smith said he asked legislators to imagine what it would be like to live in a county where much of the land isn't under private ownership and isn't subject to property taxes, such as is the case in Jackson and the other counties.
"I said, 'How difficult would it be if the federal government owned 50 percent of it?' " he said.
Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or dmann@mailtribune.com.
