THIRD THURSDAY

The Future of Oregon's Rural Counties

Pacific Power Foundation

Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 11:45am - 1:30pm

Northwest Health Foundation
221 NW Second Ave., Suite 300
Portland, OR 97209
Bamboo Room

Members: $25.00
Non-Members: $45.00

Description

At this Third Thursday we will discuss how to keep rural counties in Oregon healthy and prosperous in this difficult financial time.  Our informative discussion will allow you to learn more about the new world we are entering in Oregon – and how the challenges impact the entire region.

In 2000, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which guaranteed revenues to counties based on past timber receipts, but that act expires this year. Curry County has been in the headlines as it struggles to prevent insolvency and other rural Oregon counties are not far behind. Curry County is predicting a $3 million deficit for 2013-14 and is considering measures such as a 3% sales tax, consolidating services and a property tax increase. State representatives have surfaced ideas of designating 1.5 million acres of federal land as a trust to log under state oversight.  Conservationists oppose this idea.  Oregonians are in the middle of thinking through many different creative ideas to deal with this complex problem. 

We’ve assembled a group of speakers who will explore the issue from different perspectives:

  • John Hummel, Oregon Consensus, will discuss his work with Curry County to think through strategic options to prevent insolvency.
  • Doug Robertson, Douglas County Commissioner, will frame the general issues that all counties are facing in the new fiscal environment.
  • Cathy MacDonald, Nature Conservancy, will share the conservation considerations associated with the issue.
  • Richard Whitman, Natural Resource Advisor for Governor Kitzhaber will discuss the policy implications of the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools Act and next steps.

Registration

Members may register for this event online.
Non-members, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to determine eligibility.

Eligibility to attend: This meeting is open to GRANTMAKERS representatives and of organizations eligible to become members of GRANTMAKERS.  Individuals with a donor-advised fund at a member organization are eligible to attend as members of GRANTMAKERS of Oregon and Southwest Washington.  GRANTMAKERS events are not open to the public.