Baucus Takes Another Go at Funding SRS

July 25, 2008 in Democrats, Economy & Business, Energy, Max Baucus, Missoula, Montana

by jhwygirl

Yesterday, in a piece criticizing Rehberg, I blogged about Baucus’ Energy Independence and Tax Relief Act of 2008, but I missed one tidbit that we’ve blogged about here in the past.

Near the end of the bill, I found this:
Amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS) to extend such Act through FY2011.

Now, Baucus has been working to reinstate this important funding. It goes to rural western counties, and is geared towards supplementing tax revenues unrealized because of the large amounts of federal ownership within their tax base – stuff like National Forests and BLM lands.

Don’t forget that Dennis “I-sleep-on-my-couch” Rehberg voted against this funding when it last came around in Congress – on a largely party line vote, too.

Rehberg should have been ashamed, but he wasn’t. He objected to the funding because it also including provisions for the establishment of conservation of resources fees for federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

SRS funding is important – necessary – to virtually all of Montana’s counties, for necessary services like police and fire and schools. The impacts of higher fuel costs have especially hit rural counties, which have to rely heavily on providing services spread out over large areas. Some areas have spent more than 75% of their fuel and energy budgets – and winter hasn’t even done its damage.

At least someone’s getting some work done while he’s in Washington – instead of sleeping on his couch.