AAC
F a m i ly F r i e n d s
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L e g i s l at i v e t a n g e n t s
Legislation aimed at the middle of the extremes
Legislative Corner
As this edition of County Lines rolls off the press we are fast Obama administration. In addition, approaching two new legislative sessions—both of which may have SRS was created as a way to insure profound implications on county government. I’m speaking, of counties and schools, who formerly course, of the 2013 sessions of our state’s General Assembly and the had received a portion of the revUnited States Congress. enues derived from timber harvests in At both the state and federal levels the debate over type and national forests, were held harmless Jeff Sikes amount of government is ongoing. One side advocates for a bottom when these revenues began to dry up AAC Legislative Director up, limited government with an emphasis on free market solutions due, in large part, to efforts by some to most of life’s challenges while the other emphasizes a more top of the more extreme elements of the down, bureaucratic notion as to the more effective government. environmental community. In essence One extreme sees all governSRS was the federal government ment as limiting personal freepaying counties and schools not dom, hence an evil, necessary to to cut timber. be sure, but an evil nonetheless, This resulted in a double loss ne extreme sees all government while the other sees government to the fed that is, mathematically, as an indispensable good, providunsustainable over the long run as limiting personal freedom, ing the rules and the structure and, more importantly, devastathence an evil, necessary to be sure, but an that insure personal freedom. The ing to those communities that truth, as in most things, probably counted on the forest products evil nonetheless while the other sees govresides somewhere in the middle industry for their livelihood. and the middle is where county Clearly the structure of SRS ernment as an indispensable good, providgovernment, most certainly, and the expenditure of time and finds itself in this battle royale. money necessary for even a oneing the rules and the structure that insure The question for county officials year reauthorization is not the is, “how do we craft legislation best way to run a railroad. That’s personal freedom. that will appeal to, or at least where the balance comes in. not offend, members of both We will be proposing legislaschools of thought?” The answer, tion in the next Congress to I would suggest, is by providing replace SRS with a better system a balanced legislative approach of managed timber harvests in at both the federal and state levels. This is exactly the plan for a bold our national forests. legislative initiative we are currently advocating at the national level Using the best available, peer reviewed science we will argue that that would replace the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and Community more efficient timber management practices support overall forest Self-Determination Act funding currently received by counties and health by promoting healthy timber growth while preventing the schools. spread of disease and beetle infestations, promote a greater diversity At the federal level your association is a member, and sits on the of wildlife and prevent the occurrence and spread of forest fires that board of directors of, the National Forest Counties and Schools have plagued our forests but have particularly devastated the West in Coalition (NFCS). The coalition has been instrumental in successrecent years. fully reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self By implementing a policy of best management timber practices Determination Act (SRS) for 2012 through its Partnership for a in our national forests, nationwide, we will begin to revitalize those Rural America campaign. communities that have been devastated by a loss of their main By successfully reauthorizing SRS we were able to avoid a loss of industry as well as putting vitally needed dollars into our county and almost $10 million to counties and schools in Arkansas. That’s the school infrastructures. good news as regards SRS, however, the downside is the reauthoWith a balanced approach the environment as well as our citizens rization was only for one year and cost the members of the NFCS win. Without balance we will continue to get what we’ve always over $1 million in organizational/lobbying fees—not including the got—more unhealthy forests, more disease and beetle infestations, revenues expended by members on travel to and from Washington, more forest fires, less diversity of wildlife and crippled communities D.C. lobbying their individual members of Congress as well as the full of tax consumers rather than taxpayers.
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COUNTY LINES, FALL 2012
