Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act

At issue: Schools in communities that were once dependent on logging revenue now rely on federal funds to keep schools open, build roads and transport students long distances to and from school. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is a program that’s crucial to the survival of 4,400 schools in 39 mostly rural California counties, as well as many more schools across the country. The law expired last year, but Congress passed a stop-gap measure to continue funding through 2007. However, in this budget, the president again advocates phasing out the program.

The federal government has an obligation to help rural communities recover from revenue losses they suffered when logging was halted in federal forests, which are set aside as national resources for all Americans to enjoy.

CSBA’s position:

• Congress must reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act and its funding as provided in House Resolution 17 (DeFazio) and Senate Bill 380 (Wyden) to help students in sparsely populated and isolated areas enjoy educational opportunities comparable to programs available to suburban and urban students.

What California needs:

• Full cost-of-living adjustments for funds allocated under the program.

• Expanded receipt-generating activities and programs, including stewardship, the contracting of pilot projects, service contracts for forest health work, recreation fee demonstration projects and special use permit fees.

• Incentives to promote the sustainable economic self-sufficiency of rural communities through the best use of all natural resources.

Related link:

Read more about the issue @
www.csba.org/GR/Forestry-IssuesBrief.pdf

Some good news for rural
schools, but larger battle looms

Members of CSBA’s Federal Issues Council got some good news about federal funding for rural schools when they were in the nation’s capital for their annual lobbying trip March 12-14. During a meeting with legislative advocates for the National Association of Counties, the FIC delegates learned that the House Appropriations Committee has added language to an emergency funding authorization bill for the Iraq War that would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act for another year and authorize $400 million to fund it. Similar language is included in the Senate version of the bill.

Although this was welcome news, it’s no slam dunk. The emergency appropriations bill is controversial, with money for a variety of programs including the war. Congress has approved the measure, but President Bush is threatening to veto it.

The ultimate goal is to convince Congress to extend the Secure Rural Schools program over the long term.

“The Secure Rural Schools Act is vital to many districts in California,” said CSBA President Kathy Kinley. “We are pleased with the support for one more year of funding but know that a permanent solution will rest with Congress.”

For the past three years, President Bush has recommended phasing out the program, which was established in 1908 to compensate communities in a handful of logging states for losses they suffered when vast portions of forest land were placed into federal preserves. The act expired in 2006, but Congress extended it for fiscal 2007. It’s up for reauthorization again this year.

Last year California schools and counties in forest communities received more than $66 million to fund school buses, road repair and education programs—services that many of these districts could not otherwise afford.

In meetings with government officials, federal lawmakers and their staffs, and with civic and public policy organizations, FIC members stressed that these federal funds are crucial to the survival of many rural districts.

Paul Beddoe, who handles public lands advocacy for the National Association of Counties, told FIC members that there is considerable pressure in the Senate to change the formula for awarding funds. This could mean less money for Oregon and California, which receive the largest federal allocations. Beddoe said some senators want to spread the funds to other states. Representatives from Oregon have expressed a willingness to discuss changing the formula, he said, if it means saving the subsidy.

FIC members also met with Melissa Shannon, senior policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who helped get the secure rural schools funding included in the emergency spending bill.

Her boss supports the program, Shannon said, but under the House’s “pay as you go” policy, lawmakers are reluctant to fund new or continuing programs unless they cut costs elsewhere or find new revenue sources. President Bush has suggested selling parcels of forest land that the government deems as surplus to help fund the program, but thus far the proposal has generated fierce opposition.

Other California officials are also looking for ways to save the program. FIC members met with members of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s staff at the governor’s Washington office. CSBA President-elect Paul Chatman said rural school advocates are grateful that the governor has included $69 million in next year’s budget for bail-out loans to rural counties. CSBA supports the loan program, provided that it is amended to eliminate interest accrual and to include more flexible repayment deadlines.

Leighann Lenti, deputy director of the governor’s Washington operations, said rural school advocates have waged an extremely effective advocacy campaign to save the program. She singled out Tehama County Superintendent Bob Douglas and the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition for special praise, saying they have raised the profile of rural communities among leading policy-makers.

“The governor is really engaged in this issue,” Lenti reassured FIC members.