Oregon Public Broadcasting

These are tough budget times in Northwest counties. Tax revenues are stagnating and federal forest payments have run out. Some counties may have to make major cuts. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

From rural Harney County, Oregon to metropolitan King County, Washington the news is the same. The slowing economy and the housing crunch have pushed tax revenues down while operating costs continue to rise.

Eric Johnson is with the Washington State Association of Counties. He says in some places the situation hasn’t been this dire since the 1980s.

Eric Johnson: “The most significant issue is going to be the potential impact not only in criminal justice system but in the public health system. We might not be able to provide immunizations, we might not be able to provide follow up on communicable diseases, we may not be able to provide some of the food safety inspections that we do.”

The loss of federal forest payments in rural counties is a major issue. An Oregon task force warns that will have a bigger impact than the post 9-11 economic downturn.

Northwest lawmakers are still hoping to re-start those payments.