Funding crisis bearing down on courthouse.Byline: GUEST VIEWPOINT By Faye Stewart For The Register-Guard CORRECTION (ran Jan. 30, 2007): Because of an editor's error, a Jan. 26 guest viewpoint by Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart listed the wrong deadline for the county Board of Commissioners to decide whether to place a tax measure on the May ballot. The deadline for a board decision is Feb. 21. It's been a long time coming: the fundamental shift in our community's relationship with the federal government, away from one of mutual benefit and reliance to one of Congressional commitments abridged and obligations ignored. I'm referring to the lapse (language) LAPSE - A single assignment language for the Manchester dataflow machine. ["A Single Assignment Language for Data Flow Computing", J.R.W. Glauert, M.Sc Diss, Victoria U Manchester, 1978]. of the federal county payments program that occurred last fall, and the severe impact on our community's well-being and quality of life. In view of the program's expiration EXPIRATION. Cessation; end. As, the expiration of, a lease, of a contract, or statute. 2. In general, the expiration of a contract puts an end to all the engagements of the parties, except to those which arise from the non- fulfillment of obligations created and the remote chance of its renewal, my colleagues on the Lane County Board of Commissioners soon will be reviewing proposals for sustaining public health and safety through the use of a new, local revenue source. One of those proposals will be a potential ballot measure. Other options are under consideration. And the most disturbing option - reduce public health and safety programs by an amount commensurate com·men·su·rate adj. 1. Of the same size, extent, or duration as another. 2. Corresponding in size or degree; proportionate: a salary commensurate with my performance. 3. with the nearly $20 million funding loss from county payments - is under review as well. County budget managers are preparing two budgets for the 2007-08 fiscal year, which begins July 1. One includes county payments; one does not. We will engage our community and citizens in a dialogue in the coming weeks to more fully disclose the magnitude of the fiscal crisis and possible realistic remedies. One of those remedies would be a countywide coun·ty·wide adv. & adj. Throughout a whole county: found at locations countywide; a countywide search. Adj. 1. income tax dedicated to backfilling An early technique used with XTs and ATs that let DESQview run more programs concurrently. Motherboard chips were disabled and EMS chips were assigned the low memory addresses. the loss of county payments and stabilizing stabilizing, v to hold a limb motionless in order to ground its energy; a standard isometric resistance technique, it releases tension and lengthens muscle fibers. our eroding public health and safety systems. The board has instructed staff to come back with an income tax proposal with the following features: A ballot measure structured simply and directly to reduce public confusion. Revenue that would be dedicated to funding public safety operations and services. An exemption for retirement income that would be as equitable equitable adj. 1) just, based on fairness and not legal technicalities. 2) refers to positive remedies (orders to do something, not money damages) employed by the courts to solve disputes or give relief. (See: equity) EQUITABLE. as possible. No offset for property taxes. Possible placement on May 2007 ballot. The deadline for a board decision is Feb. 2. The option of doing nothing has all but evaporated evaporated reduced in volume by evaporation; concentrated to a denser form. . The 109th Congress allowed the previous county payment program to expire expire /ex·pire/ (ek-spi´er) 1. to exhale. 2. to die. ex·pire v. 1. To breathe one's last breath; die. 2. To exhale. last fall and failed to extend the program for at least one year before going home in December. Coupled with the near-miss of the county's tax measure in November, Lane County communities now confront a drastic reduction in public and health safety programs and services, and in very short order. Lane County's general fund receives more than $20 million a year from the county payments program. Most of the money received from the federal pact goes to fund the operations of the Lane County Sheriff's Office, the district attorney, youth services and the Lane County Public Health Department. The county road fund receives more than $20 million a year from the program as well. Commissioner Bobby Green told the board that his visits with members of Congress this month regarding an extension of the county payments program were `discouraging dis·cour·age tr.v. dis·cour·aged, dis·cour·ag·ing, dis·cour·ag·es 1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit. 2. To hamper by discouraging; deter. 3. and disappointing.' Commissioner Pete Sorenson said he assumes the funding is not likely to come through in time to build the county's next budget, if it comes through at all. Lane County needs to act quickly. We face reductions either way, but the loss of the county payments program will change the way Lane County government provides services and does business. We cannot absorb a $40 million cut without drastic changes to service and the loss of valued employees. As we seek a source of secure and stable funding, we will continue to engage and inform the community. The financial problems facing Lane County government will not go away without the participation of the community and the leadership of the board. Faye Stewart of Cottage Grove Cottage Grove, village (1990 pop. 22,935), Washington co., SE Minn., near the St. Croix River; inc. 1965. There is farming (cattle, sheep, corn, and soybeans) and manufacturing (chemicals and machinery). is chairman of the Lane County Board of Commissioners. |
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