84 



The reduction in timber receipts has a negative effect on Jackson County. In the 

 addendum you will see the actual 3% reduction in O & C revenues projected out. While 

 Jackson County is putting two tax levies on the September 17 ballot, the amount asked for 

 will not make up for the decline in O & C. If the O & C revenue would disappear 

 tomorrow, Jackson County would no longer be able to support a county criminal justice 

 system. We would be unable to apprehend, prosecute or incarcerate criminals. As it is the 

 picture is dismal. Of the SI 1.4 million dollars of current safety net from O & C, -S10.3 

 million is dedicated to criminal justice, the District Attorney, the probation system, jail, 

 the juvenile system and rural county sheriffs patrols. The people of Jackson County 

 voted in support of a criminal justice levy to meet the increased demands. The levy 

 adequately increases staff for the Juvenile facility, the jail, the work release center, the 

 DA's office and the probation oflice. The Commissioners guaranteed we would not reduce 

 the O & C contribution we were already making, if people would vote to support increases 

 to handle our growing crime in the count>'. Still as these safety net dollars from O & C are 

 racheted down, we must rachet down the criminal justice system. This is in a county that 

 has one of the highest crime statistics in Oregon and one of the fastest growing crime 

 problems in the region. 



Also in the addendum you will see the list of cuts in ser^'ices that will happen if the 

 proposed librar>- and general services levy do not pass September 17, 1996. When you 

 look at the senices listed, you might think, we can get along without these services. They 

 wont affect the average citizen. Let me describe one service where prevention is having a 

 big impact and without the prevention wc will ensure a growth in crime and violence. 

 (Need I remind you that prevention is much less costly and the dollars for criminal justice 

 are declining also.) The service I will ask you to focus on for a minute is the Rogue Family 

 Center , a model program for the State of Oregon and the nation. The RFC brings 

 together federal, state and county services, as well as the local school district. The mission 

 is development of an integrated system to better serve the families to bring self-empowering 

 services to people willing to share the responsibility for themselves and each other. This is 

 the most successful project in the state to work with dysfunctional families and help them 

 back into employment and self-sufflciency. I helped start this program to deal with the 



