This plan would be to have approximately 60,000 acres of the Siskiyou National Forest returned to the ownership of Curry County. The timber on the selected lands would be then SELECTIVELY harvested and all proceeds for sales would be placed in the County's General Budget, similar to what our neighbors in Coos County already do with their 15,000 acre forest. Per reports the 'The World' newspaper, over the last 10 years; this acreage has produced at least 3.5 million dollars. So theory a 60,000-acre (93.75 square mile) forest would minimum of 8 million dollars revenue for Curry County. Managed properly, this would be a renewable income.
With the current estimates of 5 million needed from the Federal Government, this forest could replace the Federal County Payments to Curry County, and give us the resources to be financial independent. Some of the stimulations that I would include in the land transfer would be as follows

*Timberland returned to Curry County would be spread throughout the borders with portions be located in north, central, and south areas of the County
*Curry County would set aside a minimum of 10% of those lands (6,000 acres) to be designated as County Parks.
*No lands transferred would border designated Wilderness or Wild & Scenic areas.
*No lands transferred would be from designated old growth stands.
*Curry County would develop a long term Forestry plan were the transferred lands would be replanted after harvesting in such a way that the forest would be renewable.
*Curry County would use a portion of the income to maintain paved roads that the US Forest Service no longer as the funds to maintain (e.g. Lobster Creek to Agness.
*Curry County would set aside a portion of the income generated from timber sales, to pay for wildfire suppression.


With the surplus income, a County Forest of this size would create; there are many things that we could do as a County. Here are just a few examples that I have come up with on my own.... (Please remember these ARE NOT campaign promises, just potential ideas, I would want public forums before any of these ideas where acted on)

*Update the Curry County Courthouse to comply with Handicap access laws
*Increase the Sheriff's budget (e.g. more patrol deputies)
*Supplement our schools' budgets.
*Invest in the infrastructure that would allow us to attract technology-based companies to locate themselves in Curry County.
*Enact a County "Kicker". The kicker would return non-designated surplus funds to the taxpayer of Curry County. All kicker payments would be applied to individual property tax payments.
*If sustainable revenue in great enough, permanently reduce the County's portion of property taxes.

I'm sure those of you who read this would also have some great ideas, and I would love to hear them.