El Dorado County fighting for funding source

El Dorado County Board of Supervisors are urging Congress to reauthorize and fund the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.

SRS expired Sept. 30, 2013, resulting in a loss of funding in 2014 and future years to support programs in schools and counties across the United States. California’s forested counties and the schools located within these counties have been dependent upon federal revenue-sharing programs such as SRS for maintaining local roads, and for providing local services and programs.

SRS funding mitigates the impact to county governments from the reduction of allowable timber harvesting production on federal forest lands. California’s rural counties have come to rely on SRS funding – more than $33 million statewide – to support public schools and critical county road programs.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report