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WYDEN-SMITH BILL ON BEND
PINE NURSERY
APPROVED BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Bill sets price for the Bend Pine Nursery
at $3.5 million, saving local taxpayers $2.3 million
June 21, 2004
Washington, DC – Legislation
authored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith
(R-Ore.) to set the price for the Bend Pine Nursery at $3.5 million
– saving local taxpayers $2.3 million – was approved
today by the U.S. House of Representatives. A vote on S. 1848
is the final legislative step in a years-long effort to transfer
the Pine Nursery from the U.S. Forest Service to the Bend Metro
Parks and Recreation District at a reasonable cost for the community.
The Wyden-Smith bill won approval by the full U.S. Senate earlier
this year, and now moves to the President for signature into law.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) sponsored similar legislation in
the House and shepherded S. 1848 to a vote today.
"The Forest Service's $5.8 million demand on taxpayers
for the Bend Pine Nursery simply didn't pass the smell test,
so I couldn't be more pleased that the House acted on our bipartisan
bill today," said Wyden. "Greg did a great job navigating
this bill on the House side. When the President signs it into
law, the end result will be that Deschutes County taxpayers will
have saved $2.3 million and the Forest Service will continue
to be able to meet its office needs in Bend."
"Central Oregonians will soon be able to enjoy the school
grounds, sports fields, and other recreational areas this land
will be to this growing community," said Smith. "Special
thanks go to Congressman Walden for his efforts to get this bill
passed in the House of Representatives."
In early November 2003, Wyden and Smith introduced legislation
to set the sale price for the Bend Pine Nursery at $3.5 million,
saving local taxpayers $2.3 million versus the Forest Service
asking price of $5.8 million. Since Wyden and Smith initially
passed bipartisan legislation in 2000 to authorize the sale of
the Forest Service property to the Bend Metro Parks and Recreation
District, the Forest Service's asking price has almost doubled
from a $3 million estimate to the current $5.8 million price
tag.
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