Bush cuts will clip roads and jobs, Lane County officials claim.

Byline: COUNTY BEAT By Matt Cooper The Register-Guard

What would President Bush's cut in federal money do to Lane County?

It could cost roads inside and outside local cities $5 million next year alone, and could bring the elimination of more than 30 jobs in public safety, officials say.

To chip away at the federal deficit, Bush wants to cut payments made by Uncle Sam each year to Lane and other counties nationwide. For years, the payments have been made as compensation for lower timber sales on federal lands.

Lane County gets $50 million annually: $20 million for roads, $20 million for the general fund, $6 million for schools and the remainder for projects on federal land.

Bush wants to cut part of the money that makes up those payments. That could mean a cut of $5 million each, next year alone, to county roads and public-safety services.

Budget manager David Garnick said a loss of $4 million to $5 million a year in public safety could cost 36 positions. The cuts potentially would come from the search and rescue staff and the Forest Work Camp, the county's 95-bed rural incarceration program.

Faced with this hit, the commissioners' Democratic base is hitting back.

"This administration needs to be reminded that economic stability and security for rural communities has been honored repeatedly during the last century, regardless of the ebb and flow of the budget climate in Washington, D.C.," Commissioner Peter Sorenson said this week. Sorenson is campaigning for the Democratic nomination for governor.

"Without (full payments), Lane County is going to be experiencing significant cuts," board Chairman Bill Dwyer added.

Congress and Bush will come to terms on a budget in the coming months.

Higher fees

It's getting more expensive to do business with Lane County.

Effective July 1, planning fees will go up 13.5 percent, subsurface sanitation fees, 11 percent, and building fees, 2.5 percent.

The commissioners approved the increases this week to help the land-management division cover what manager Jeff Towery said are the true cost of the services.

Much of that cost is personnel, according to a staff report. The fees will help with the rising cost of benefits associated with retirement and health insurance.

With the increases in place, the fees should generate $250,000 annually.

Department personnel runs about $215,000 annually and the department is bracing for a $60,000 spike in indirect costs, and a loss of $40,000 in federal money.

Here comes the judge

Gary Carl has been appointed Oakridge justice of the peace by Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

`I am well qualified to fill this position because of my education and experience as well as my committed involvement in the Oakridge community,' Carl said.

Carl, who will be sworn in Wednesday, has lived in Oakridge for several years and is a scoutmaster and a member of the Oakridge Kiwanis Club.

He received his bachelor of arts degree from Pennsylvania State University and a law degree from the University of Oregon law school. He retired last year from his private practice in Eugene.

Carl replaces Charles Navarro, who resigned last September.

Matt Cooper can be reached at 338-2317 or [e-mail].