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Oregon counties to receive $113
million today in installment of 2004 county payments
Law helps timber communities by providing
a stable funding source
October 28, 2004
Portland, Ore. – U.S.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) announced
today that Oregon counties will receive more than $113 million
through the 2004 county payments funds provided by The Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Wyden and
Smith have worked together to ensure continued funding to rural
Oregon counties since passage in 2000 of the law, also authored
by U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), to secure a stable source
of funding for rural schools and counties.
“This money will help
many Oregon counties in tough economic times with education, infrastructure
and other important community programs,” Wyden said. “The
dollars Oregon is receiving from this bipartisan law are making
a real difference in our rural communities.”
“Education, roads, and
county services are the building blocks of prosperous and healthy
communities,” said Smith. “As we continue towards
economic recovery, these funds will help ensure that Oregonians
enjoy a higher standard of living now and for future generations.”
The county payments law directs
$1.5 billion over six years from the U.S. Forest Service and the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Oregon counties for education,
roads and county services. Today’s $113 million is only
the BLM portion of the funding and represents a more than 68 percent
increase in BLM monies from before the law was enacted; the Forest
Service portion of the payments will be released to counties later
this year.
The law establishes a locked-in
dollar amount for rural schools and counties by averaging the
three highest receipt producing years between Fiscal Years 1986
and 1999. Under this proposal, 80-85 percent of funding will be
reserved for traditional county schools and services supported
by federal revenues, and 15-20 percent of monies will be set aside
for community-supported forestry projects.
Oregon counties receiving funds
today include:
• Benton $3.16 million
• Clackamas $6.23 million
• Columbia $2.31 million
• Coos $7.43 million
• Curry $4.1 million
• Douglas $28.29 million
• Jackson $17.61 million
• Josephine $13.57 million
• Klamath $2.63 million
• Lane $17.16 million
• Lincoln $404,492
• Linn $2.96 million
• Marion $1.64 million
• Multnomah $1.22 million
• Polk $2.43 million
• Tillamook $629,210
• Washington $707,861
• Yamhill $808,984
The county payments law will
provide payments through 2006. Wyden and Smith are committed to
reauthorizing the bill and maintaining a steady funding source
for counties beyond 2006.
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