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Harney County Court urges Congress to restore Secure Rural Schools funding, warns of large fiscal shortfall
Summary
County officials authorized letters to Oregon’s congressional delegation pressing for Secure Rural Schools funding after staff estimated a funding gap exceeding $1 million if the program is not appropriated.
The Harney County Court authorized the chair to sign and send letters to Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Cliff Bentz urging reauthorization or appropriation of Secure Rural Schools funding. County staff explained the program compensates counties for lost timber receipts on federal lands and that, without federal action, the county would face a substantial revenue reduction for roads and schools.
County staff estimated Secure Rural Schools funding for Harney County at roughly $1,040,000; the county would receive about $75,000 under a timber-receipts-only calculation, per staff comments during the meeting. Commissioners said the difference would be a major hit to the road department and school budgets and asked that the county make a formal request to the federal delegation.
The court directed staff to sign and transmit the letters promptly and discussed public outreach to encourage county residents to contact members of Congress. The court also discussed making the payment permanent through federal legislation to avoid recurring emergency measures.
Why this matters
Secure Rural Schools funding substitutes for revenue counties once received from timber sales on federal land. For a county with large federal landholdings and limited alternative revenue sources, the loss of these payments can create an immediate and material budget gap affecting road maintenance and school operations.
What the court asked next
The court voted to send the letters and asked staff to make the letter and contact links available to residents so individuals can also contact federal offices. The county will include the letters in the public packet and follow up with its delegation.
