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Commissioners discuss timber revenue loss and possible state partnership for services and economic development
Summary
Commissioners discussed the loss of timber revenues, the lack of direct state revenue replacement, and options to request state support for existing services (for example, assessment and taxation funding) or for economic development studies to diversify local economies.
During board concerns on March 26, Tillamook County commissioners discussed the county’s exposure to falling timber revenue and possible avenues for state support. One commissioner reported from a recent meeting of timber counties in Salem that “there is no revenue replacement that will come from the state,” and that counties were instead being asked to identify areas where the state already partners and could expand funding.
As an example, the commissioner cited a bill pending in the legislature to increase funding for assessment and taxation (referred to in the meeting as the CAFA grant) that could boost county revenues tied to state responsibilities. The commissioner said the governor’s staff asked counties to identify general‑fund services—such as parts of the district attorney function or other programs—where the state could increase support in lieu of a timber‑specific revenue replacement.
The board also discussed economic development as an alternate pathway. The commissioner suggested the county could ask the state to fund an economic study to identify potential new industries that could provide living‑wage jobs and to consider reusing mill lands in other counties as an example of a targeted redevelopment approach. The speaker noted that “I believe it's 7% of our jobs in Tillamook County are in the timber industry” and stressed that secondary economic impacts were not included in that figure.
The commissioners agreed the topics should inform the county’s budget discussions and be refined through spring and summer to present options to Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) staff and the governor’s office later in the year. No formal action was taken; the topic was raised for follow‑up and budget planning.
