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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 2008)
Inside: School clinics Legislators visit valley location Page 5 Camp Forest Selma couple utilize ecostry Page 7 Youth spotlight Events a’plenty including sports Page 8 Federal financial rescue approved for O&C counties Funding added to ‘bailout’ for Wall Street investors; Josephine County officials ‘relieved’ Josephine County Com- mission Chairman Dave Toler and other officials throughout S.W. Oregon felt relieved Friday, Oct. 3 after President Bush signed a financial rescue plan ex- tending federal timber pay- ments to counties for an- other four years. Toler called the forth- coming monies “a bridge to the future.” Oregon is to receive the biggest share of payments -- approximately $254 million in the current budget year. Following are California ($63 million) Washington ($43 million), Idaho ($43 million) and Montana ($32 million). The federal funding will continue to put Josephine and other counties in a solid fi- nancial position. Josephine and other counties in S.W. Oregon were facing the likeli- hood of drastic reductions in law enforcement, road main- tenance, and other services. Senators inserted the timber portion under the Se- cure Rural Schools and Com- munity Self-Determination Act. It provides monies to rural counties that had been Friday attraction Art Walk set Page 9 Election profile Candidates for commission views Page 15 JoCo $$ fine Flames destroyed a 1954 trailer at 140 Briar Lane in Selma on Thursday, Oct. 2. Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD) responded to the 8:01 p.m. alarm; Rural/Metro Fire Dept. responded under mu- tual aid to cover Selma Station 2. The cause of the blaze that de- molished the residence, approxi- mately 24 feet long, is believed to be a wood stove, said IVFD. No injuries were reported; names of the residents were unavailable. (Photos by Dale & Elaine Sandberg, IVFD Media Dept.) enforcement agencies. Coun- ties and schools can now re- store essential services and real, family wage jobs. “For taxpayers,” said Walden, “this measure pre- vents 21 million Americans in the middle class and 237,000 additional Oregon households from having to pay the onerous Alternative Minimum Tax, which would otherwise cost families $62 billion in higher taxes this year alone. “It extends tax relief for qualified college tuition and for teachers who personally pay for classroom needs. It extends the child tax credit, which is essential to growing families. Failure to stop these tax increases on the middle class would make their family economic situation even worse than it already is. “For Oregon’s renewable energy sector,” Walden con- tinued, “this measure extends tax incentives that are creat- ing green collar jobs right here in Oregon through the development of wind, solar and fuel cells while providing research incentives for clean coal, plug-in hybrid vehicles and other conservation initia- will provide a “bridge to the future.” He added though that citizens need to understand that the amount counties will receive will not be as much as during previous years. Additionally, he noted, the payment will decrease each year. Said Toler, “Calling it a four-year subsidy is really kind of inaccurate. This is a serious ramp-down. It goes from 90 percent in the first year to 40 percent in the last year, to zero.” The chairman stated that Josephine County residents should not view the short- term subsidies as a permanent funding solution to the county’s public safety finan- cial problems. “This is a four-year phase-out,” Toler stressed, “and emphasis (should be) on the over and out.” Josephine County was anticipating the loss of nearly all of its public safety funding unless voters OK a law en- forcement district levy on the Nov. 4 ballot. If passed, Toler said, the levy could be used in combination with the just- approved “rescue money” to (Continued on page 6) Toler sees law districts as long-term solution Zoo trainees from Japan hosted at Great Cats Great Cats World Park in Cave Junction was one of five locations nationwide chosen by a group of Japanese zoo keepers in training for a tour. The 20 students, with an interpreter and representative of Adventure World in Shira- hama, were hosted by Craig Wagner, trainer and owner/ operator of Great Cats World Park. He has 26 years experi- ence; nearly four years of them in Cave Junction. “It’s kinda’ nice to be chosen for this annual tour,” said Wagner, “because they could pick only five locations to visit.” He showed the visi- tors various aspects including training and feeding. He commented on the politeness and attentiveness of the guests. They all took extensive notes, he said. Also observing the pleas- ant demeanor of the visitors was Michelle Hendrix, owner of Michelle’s Family Restau- rant in Cave Junction. The Japanese contingent had their lunch there. The group also toured Ocean World in Crescent City, Calif. and visited Red- wood tree groves in that area. tives that will help make America more energy inde- pendent.” The so-called county payments law provides hun- dreds of millions of dollars to Oregon, Idaho and other states. Those states have counted on federal timber sales to pay for schools, li- braries and other services in rural areas. Nationwide, payments go to 700 counties in 39 states. Following the president signing the bill, Dave Toler, chairman of the Josephine County Board of Commis- sioners said that the funding ‘This is an enormous victory for our Oregon counties ...’ - Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) TRSD rules Event regulations will be enforced Page 16 Despite turmoil in the national banking and finance areas, investments by Jose- phine County are safe, said county Treasurer John Har- elson. “Josephine County can rest easy,” said Harelson. “All county accounts are either backed by the federal govern- ment or are 100 percent guar- anteed by the Oregon State Treasury’s Public Fund Col- lateralization Program.” The treasurer, he stated, has responsibility for invest- ing up to $78 million. “A portion of these balances are property taxes collected for cities, schools and other dis- tricts, and are turned over to them monthly,” he said. “In 2007-08 $1.8 million in interest was earned by the treasurer for all the taxing districts in the county,” Har- elson said. receiving O&C funds, but which were reduced by re- strictions on federal logging harvests. The House ap- proved the bill Oct. 3, two days after Senate passage. Said Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), “For rural Orego- nians, we finally succeeded in reauthorizing and funding our county timber payments program for the next four years, and we fully fund Pay- ment in Lieu of Taxes through 2012. “This is an enormous victory for our Oregon schools, counties, libraries, road departments and law Planning for when fed- eral funding is no longer pro- vided, Chairman Dave Toler of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners has definite ideas. “This doesn’t solve our problems, not even in the mid-term,” he said. “What I’ve heard from citizens is, ‘If you’ve known the crisis was coming why not do some- thing to prepare for it?’ “It looks like we’ve averted the July 1 train wreck, but what I’ve heard is, ‘Why not prepare for the inevitable?’ “It is hoped the law en- forcement districts on the No- vember ballot will pass, but that we can phase it in as the county payments phase out. “We can enjoy a full- fledged sheriff’s office, pay nothing the first year, and slowly phase in the law en- forcement district payments as the federal payments phase out. “I’m putting the plan out there. It’s up to the citizens to ensure that we have long- term funding for the sheriff’s office. “In terms of the urgent situation, it does avoid the July 1 catastrophe. We can avert damage for a year or two. There is a sense of relief; myself and commissioner Ellis do feel a sense of relief,” Toler concluded. Wildfire threat reduced The visitors enjoyed Siberian tiger views and Lisha , an African serval cat. (Photos by Illinois Valley News ) The public-use fire danger level on land protected by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District is now “moderate” (blue), and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) is 1. Cooler weather and some rain have significantly reduced the wildfire threat on state, private, county and Bureau of Land Man- agement forestland in Josephine and Jackson counties. Open burning of debris, including debris in a burn barrel, is prohibited. However, restrictions are lifted on chain saw and mower use. Campfires may be used outside of designated campgrounds, but hunters and campers are cautioned that it is still important to extinguish campfires before leaving a campsite. For more information about ODF’s fire season regulations, contact the Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Drive, Grants Pass, or phone 474-3152. Southwest Oregon District fire precau- tion level information is also posted on the Web at www.swofire.oregon.gov.
