18 February 2014
Revenue Forecast Shows Steady Income for State
Less than two weeks into the 2014 legislative session lawmakers heard some good news. The latest economic forecast shows the economy is holding steady… and with it, tax revenues.
Arnie Roblan – “It came back pretty flat, a gain of about 15-million. A loss of a little bit here, a gain of a little bit there. But, really on track, slow improvement but we did find property tax increases across the board so a lot of school districts are going to get some extra money which is a real plus, I think, for all of our communities.”
Senator Arnie Roblan says the news means there won’t be wholesale changes to the state’s budget midway through a two year spending plan.
The good property tax news does not necessarily apply to schools in Western Lane County where some values have actually dropped… or face a limitation on the amount of taxes that can be levied on that particular property.
The legislative session is slated for adjournment no later than March 9th.
Superintendent Earns Good Marks
Just eight months in, the grades are out for Siuslaw Superintendent Shawn Wiencek.
On a scale of one-to-four, with four being the highest, the school board rated Wiencek at a 3.43 overall.
The Superintendent ranked highest in categories dealing with leadership, human resources, organization, instruction, values and ethics; earning “outstanding” marks in those areas. “Excellent” marks were noted in the areas of policy and governance; and communications and community relations.
Two key actions were highlighted. Wiencek initially job-shadowed nearly every position in the district as a way to better understand not only the staff and district needs, but the culture of the organization as well. Board members also noted her use of student achievement data to make better informed decisions and recommendations.
Ambulance District Providing More With Less
Resources at Western Lane Ambulance District are “completely stretched out” and officials there are hoping to make some changes to help the situation.
The number of calls for assistance have nearly doubled in the past 15 years… from 1,446 in 1999 to 2,746 in 2013.
At the same time, the staffing has remained the same; 12 full time EMTs and Paramedics along with a handful of part-time EMTs have handled up to four or more calls at a time.
District Manager Henry Hanf says the district has faced all of it with less money, despite voter approval of a special tax levy last year.
Most of the patients handled by Western Lane Ambulance are on Medicare and that agency has continually reduced the amount they pay for emergency services.
The district, according to Hanf, has been recognized by the state EMS agency seven times for outstanding service and provides ‘cutting edge’ service. He says they’re exploring options like more cooperation with Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue to help provide services in the future.
