183 



- 4 - 



County. But the direct loss of jobs associated with the 

 reduction of timber production also places extreme burdens 

 on county-provided services. The loss of employment not 

 only reduces County Income from sales taxes and other 

 sources, but high unemployment rates also over-burden 

 county hospitals, social welfare programs, and other 

 county, state and federally funded services. 



In addition, high unemployment levels also have a 

 direct correlation to increases in crime, spousal abuse, 

 child abuse, alcoholism, abandonment, and other societal 

 problems which, to a large extent, also depend upon county 

 services for relief. 



Please do not be mislead by provisions in this 

 legislation that would call for retraining of displaced 

 timber workers as a tradeoff for taking 44,000 acres of 

 productive and revenue producing timberland. 



While retraining is an important part of any 

 recovery program, the type of jobs created are not equal 

 to those lost. Government created public service jobs are 

 not a replacement for well paying industry jobs that allow 

 the worker to support his family and educate his 

 children. In today's complex economic world, short term 

 public service and minimum wage jobs do not support 

 communities. I think the statement of an old friend and 

 retired colleague best states this premise, "We can't 

 create an economy by selling hamburgers to each other." 



