Tax plan in sheriff's office funding ideas
From our weekly issue dated December 12, 2007
A room tax and a fee on mined aggregate are among suggestions being reviewed by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Advisory Council (JCSAC) to help fund law enforcement, said Sheriff Gil Gilbertson.
“Responses to my most-recent public request included some creative and worthwhile suggestions for funding alternatives,” he stated. “I forwarded these to JCSAC for further review, and one to collect $1 per ton of aggregate mined in the county looks particularly promising. This would not represent a significant percentage of the cost of aggregate, but with approximately 1 million tons mined annually in the county it might be a significant contribution.
“I also have had the opportunity to review the New Construction Asset Buy-In Proposal discussed with the county commissioners, and the reaction was generally favorable.
Click here to learn more about how you can tell us what you think
“Another idea that seems to have some potential,” said the sheriff, “is a 2 percent room tax on all hotel, motel and camping accommodations in the county. A similar tax is already imposed within Grants Pass at 9 percent and raises more than $1 million per year.
“Current state law would require 70 percent of the funds raised to be spent on supporting and promoting tourism, but the remaining 30 percent could go to the county general fund. Tourism obviously benefits the local economy, but brings with it higher traffic and crime that consume sheriff’s office resources.
“Ideally, this tourism-created need could be self-funded through this tax.”
The sheriff also noted a recent suggestion by Selma resident Fred Krauss that the county sell 30,000 acres of its timberland. The sale could yield approximately $30 million and put the land on the tax rolls, Gilbertson noted.
“During the next few weeks,” he said, “I hope to discuss these ideas with the county commissioners to determine their level of support for putting them on a ballot. The commissioners have the unique ability to bypass the petition process and place propositions directly on a ballot. Otherwise,” he said, “it requires collecting some 6,000 signatures on petitions, which can be a very time-consuming process.
“If you remember that the county only collects some $3 million annually from property taxes, with the rest going directly to schools, bonds and the cities, you will recognize how significant the contributions from these alternatives might be.
“Still,” he continued, “it will take the combined contribution of a number of such ideas to match the loss of some $12 million to $14 million of O&C funds that we have benefited from for so long.”
Additionally, said Gilbertson, he is approaching potential volunteers to lead putting a two-tax district public safety proposal on a ballot.
“This proposal calls for one district encompassing every county resident to fund ‘mandated’ services such as the jail, civil division, search-and-rescue, and court security,” the sheriff said. “The second district,” he stated, “would include only residents outside the city of Grants Pass to cover the cost of ancillary services such as 911 response, patrols, investigation and so on.
“This proposal would be supported,” said Gilbertson, “by a 20-year plan anticipating further growth in the county, but with some flexibility to reduce taxes collected if something like O&C funds again become available.
“Stable funding,” he said, “is critical -- and this two-tax district plan fairly and equitably distributes costs in line with services provided.”
The sheriff concluded his remarks in a news release by stating, “With the Christmas season upon us, please join me in doing everything we can to keep our community safe; to share goodwill with our friends and neighbors; and extend a helping hand to our fellowman.”
Advertisment:
