Aanestad to Congress: "Fund Rural Schools Now"
California Political Desk
March 27, 2008
SACRAMENTO: The Senate Committee on Education gave unanimous approval today to a measure designed to provide a stable source of federal funding for all rural schools in California. Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 23, authored by Senator Sam Aanestad, urges the 110th Congress to reauthorize and fund the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
"I´m thankful to the members of this committee for their unanimous support of this measure, and I´m hopeful that its passage will send a strong message to the federal government to approve a permanent source of funding for rural schools in California," said Senator Aanestad. "The permanent reauthorization of this program is vitally important to all of my constituents in Northern California."
The roots of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act stem from the National Forest Revenue Act (NFRA), which Congress passed in 1908. The NFRA ensured that counties with U.S. Forest Service lands would receive some revenue from National Forests to offset the reduction in taxable land. The bulk of those revenues to schools were traditionally generated by sales of timber on National Forest land. But environmental restrictions that cut the federal timber sales program in the 1990´s dramatically reduced the amount of money returned to schools and local road programs.
In response to the shrinking revenues from reduced timber sales, Congress enacted the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act in 2000 to stabilize county payments from National Forestlands. The measure is set to expire this year, and Congress has yet to take action to provide a permanent funding stream for rural communities. This leaves rural schools and school districts with no other option other than to dramatically cut staff and programs, or close altogether.
"The federal government is shirking its responsibility to counties with National Forest Lands," said Senator Aanestad. "The federal government should either return these lands to counties and taxable rolls, or create a permanent funding program that our rural counties can rely upon. Another one year extension, while welcome, isn´t enough. Our schools need a permanent source of revenue they can rely upon."
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act provides assistance to schools and school districts in the 4th Senate District Counties of Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba. In addition, 27 other counties from Northern to Southern California also receive funding from the Act.
"I´m thankful to the members of this committee for their unanimous support of this measure, and I´m hopeful that its passage will send a strong message to the federal government to approve a permanent source of funding for rural schools in California," said Senator Aanestad. "The permanent reauthorization of this program is vitally important to all of my constituents in Northern California."
The roots of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act stem from the National Forest Revenue Act (NFRA), which Congress passed in 1908. The NFRA ensured that counties with U.S. Forest Service lands would receive some revenue from National Forests to offset the reduction in taxable land. The bulk of those revenues to schools were traditionally generated by sales of timber on National Forest land. But environmental restrictions that cut the federal timber sales program in the 1990´s dramatically reduced the amount of money returned to schools and local road programs.
In response to the shrinking revenues from reduced timber sales, Congress enacted the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act in 2000 to stabilize county payments from National Forestlands. The measure is set to expire this year, and Congress has yet to take action to provide a permanent funding stream for rural communities. This leaves rural schools and school districts with no other option other than to dramatically cut staff and programs, or close altogether.
"The federal government is shirking its responsibility to counties with National Forest Lands," said Senator Aanestad. "The federal government should either return these lands to counties and taxable rolls, or create a permanent funding program that our rural counties can rely upon. Another one year extension, while welcome, isn´t enough. Our schools need a permanent source of revenue they can rely upon."
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act provides assistance to schools and school districts in the 4th Senate District Counties of Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba. In addition, 27 other counties from Northern to Southern California also receive funding from the Act.
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