| Task Force on Federal Forest Payments |
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| Governor Receives Report from Task Force on Federal Forest Payments |
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The Governor's Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services delivered its initial report to Governor Kulongoski in June, 2008, highlighting the need for Congress to reauthorize these payments for at least four years. Congress enacted a four-year reauthorization in September 2008.
Before that occurs, the Task Force now recommends that the state and its hard-hit counties accelerate efforts to plan and prepare for the loss of these payments during the upcoming biennium. The Governor supports this recommendation and has introduced legislation (SB 78) to create a joint state-county "County Services Planning Council" to encourage and coordinate fiscal planning. The council's goal is to have plans in place to assure the continuation of vital public services, including public safety, transportation and human services, in all of the hard hit counties by the end of the 2009-11 biennium.
The updated and final Task Force report contains 53 recommendations to achieve this goal, which will require solutions at the county, state and federal level. Read an executive summary of the final Task Force report here or the full text of the report here and exhibits here.
Task Force on Federal Forest Payments
In November 2007, the Governor issued an Executive Order (pdf) that established the Governor's Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services.
- The Task Force shall compile and review research on the impact on services provided by counties and the State from any delay or reduction in federal forest payments. The Task Force shall develop recommendations regarding administrative, budgetary, statutory and, if necesssary, constitutional changes needed to provide stable and adequate funding for the provision of essential services at the county level. In fulfilling its charge, the Task Force shall:
- Compile an assessment of likely service impacts in each affected county from a reduction or termination of federal forest payments and a comparison of each county's ability to provide essential services within their statutory and constitutional taxing authorities;
- Prepare projections of future timber revenues under current and proposed policies for managing timber harvests from federal lands;
- Identify services for which the State provides funding, partners with the counties or relies on the counties for service delivery;
- Gather suggestions from the counties and state agencies for organizational and policy changes that can yield more cost-effective delivery of services at the county level;
- Develop recommendations for executive and legislative action; and
- Support efforts to secure the continuation of federal forest payments.
The Task Force shall direct its recommendations to:
- The Task Force on Comprehensive Revenue Restructuring established by House Bill 2530;
- The Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
- The President of the Senate.
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