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agencies in Humboldt County for a 4,500 acre taking would 

 be nearly $18 million over the next fifteen years. 

 However, that figure pales in comparison to the more than 

 $40 million in lost tax revenue for a 44,000 acre taking. 



This proposal comes at a time when governments at 

 all levels face enormous budget deficits. In Humboldt 

 County because of the loss of tax revenue, we have asked 

 our employees to defer merit increases and take deductions 

 in salary, yet continue to do the same job. Worse than 

 that, and because of a very sluggish economy, reduced tax 

 revenues and federal and state mandates, we will more than 

 likely be making significant reductions in our County work 

 force within weeks. 



This proposal in its present form will create more 

 unemployment in our County that currently has nearly 10% 

 unemployment. Clearly, in counties that rely as heavily 

 on natural resources as does Humboldt County, every aspect 

 of our existence relates directly to the success of the 

 management of those resources. Consequently, we have been 

 impacted first and hardest by resource allocation 

 decisions. 



In Humboldt County, the timber industry pays 30% of 

 all property taxes in the County. Funding for roads and 

 schools is heavily dependent on this tax base. 



Massive tax revenue losses have had, and will 

 continue to have, a devastating effect on Humboldt 



