Pete Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner came and talked with the Churchill Area Neighbors about current issues confronting Lane County Governments. Below is the question and answer session that took place. It is based off of the minutes taken by the meeting's note taker with additional comments from Pete Sorenson in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Pete talked about Lane County Govt. -CAN interest - Lane County -listening tours, 5 two hour meetings in Lane county are being held to determine what's important to folks. What should happen to the LC fairgrounds? This is to be specifically discussed during the Listening Tour. Considering the purchase of land (200 acres) in Golden Gardens using a bond, and selling the 50 acres of current Lane County Fair grounds is on. Mid Jan - mid Feb, 5 regional meetings will be held - the closes to the CAN area will be held at the Lane County Fair Grounds - to discuss this.
THE BRIEFING AT THE LANE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING, WHICH WILL BE HELD AT THE LANE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AND EVENTS CENTER, IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 6 AT 9 AM. THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WILL BE BRIEFING ON THE FAIR AND THE GOLDEN GARDENS PROJECT.
FOLLOWING THE BRIEFING, THE LANE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL CONDUCT A SECOND LISTENING TOUR OF FIVE MEETINGS, ONE EACH IN THE FIVE LANE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS. THE SOUTH EUGENE DISTRICT MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE LANE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. OTHER MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AROUND THE COUNTY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SCHEDULE, PLEASE CONTACT AMBER FOSSEN, LANE COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
YOU CAN ALWAYS REVIEW THE LANE COUNTY WEBSITE AT WWW.LANECOUNTY.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
Potential for passage of reauthorization of Federal Secure Rules Schools Act. Provides payments to counties in US depending on federal forests in the area. Lane County receives $47 million a year for this. Last spring, almost NOT renewed. Last second got 1 yr approval. Today US House- approved legislature for 5 yr extension.
NO, TODAY, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, APPROVED A FOUR YEAR EXTENSION.
He is optimistic the budget process won't be scary this year (for example, the possibility of firing 120 county employees due to loss of this revenue)
Question 1- David - Asked Sorenson about voter owned elections in which candidates are funded - equalize playing field with big money.
Answer 1 - Sorenson stated that currently financial contributors own political process. THE VOTER OWNED PROCESS IS Already endorsed in Albuquerque, NM, San Francisco CA, state of Maine, state of Arizona, Portland, OR. Candidates go door to door -get signatures, collect SMALL donations FOR EXAMPLE, ARIZONA REQUIRES FIVE DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS - $, reach certain amount then government matches money raised. DeFazio sponsors this at the fed congressional level. Want to know more? National-state-county level, please email Craig OR COMMISSIONER SORENSON AT PETER.SORENSON@CO.LANE.OR.US
Question 2 - Back up plan if funding fails?
Question 3 - Rather than waiting for state/fed rescue - any vision for growing county out of dependency on the revenue? Other enterprises next 10-20 yrs replace it?
Answer 3 - We are not only community in US with the problem in which a large portion of our land is owned by the Federal Government and therefore, no taxes are paid to the county based on that land. We (Sorenson) takes view Fed. Govt. has to pay its share. Still expect of lane in Lane County not have to pay taxes. Believe we are entitled to this - it is fair to receive. We have partnered with other countries, with desert counties - AZ and Nevada - with 500 other counties which are dependent on the fed government for tax revenue. We need to figure out way to cut budget or go and get some money to replace that revenue. Tax measure on May ballot was not way to go. Enacted by commissioner after voters had voted NO on it...71% voted against it. Be inclusive with public in future. This is being accomplished with the listening tour. Is there a positive, bigger vision? It's coming. Not out of a 71 % no vote yet.
Question 4 - Is there a way to increase the economy's size to alleviate this problem?
Answer 4 - We need business development. Trying to do.
Question 5 - Any more stable funding for the Sheriff's dept in future?
Answer 5 - Funding for police services in Eugene is healthier THAN for Sheriff services at Lane County. In City of Eugene - police dept is excellent. What about jail services? Turnover constant...losing sheriff's deputies to Washington, Clackamas and Marion counties - to other communities with higher pay. In negotiation with police officer's pay and benefits Trying to offer more money. Have to balance with overall tax rate of Lane County. Only $1.27 tax - poorest county measured by the amount of taxation obtained from taxing residents in the state of Oregon. Revolving door at LC jail effects us. Jail sized to community of 200K people yet 350K people now reside in Lane County. Cost of doing business is up 6% a year. Base of property tax going up 3% a year. Cutting 3% every year....don't notice year 1 to year 2, notice to year 20...structural deficit.
