Budget committee told lodging tax and timber changes could add hundreds of thousands to Curry County revenues

Board chair briefed the budget committee on expected revenue changes, saying the county will start budgeting the transient lodging tax (TLT) increase from 7% to 10% and that a legislative allocation shift toward a 50/50 split of certain receipts could generate "close to an additional 600,000 in unrestricted funds ish." The chair cautioned that much of the realization may not occur until FY27.

The chair also described federal timber allocation dynamics and potential harvest increases. "Last year we received, I think it was $944,000 of timber revenue," the Board chair said, and a 50% increase would raise receipts substantially if harvest levels remain similar. Officials noted that a new Bureau of Land Management director and changes to forest planning could expand harvest volumes, but they called those outcomes uncertain and tied to NEPA and federal rulemaking.

Officials distinguished between SRS (federal forest service receipts split for roads and education) and BLM receipts (general fund). The county is exploring a Good Neighbor Authority agreement and potential MOU with Marion County to help with NEPA and implementation of timber sales, but staff said any major revenue increase is contingent on federal action and implementation timelines.

Committee members asked how to prioritize new unrestricted dollars; staff said a portion is being considered for a competitive grant program to support tourism, façade improvements and marketing. Miranda has drafted the grant process and will present guardrails for how the funds would be allocated and administered.

Next steps: staff will produce more precise FY27 revenue projections, and the budget committee will review worksheets and proposals at the May 27 and June 3 meetings.