[Vision2020] Minnick Camp Slams Sali Vote on Timber Payments

[Tom Hansen]

HR 3058 - Public Land Communities Transition Act of 2007:
Attached and located at

http://tinyurl.com/4z3awy

>From today's (June 7, 2008) Spokesman Review -

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Minnick camp slams Sali vote on timber payments

BOISE – Idaho Congressman Bill Sali and Democratic challenger Walt Minnick 
clashed Friday over Sali's vote against legislation to extend so-called 
Craig-Wyden timber payments to rural Idaho counties and school districts 
for four more years.

Sali joined most House Republicans in opposing the measure, which failed 
to achieve the required two-thirds vote. 

The measure would have funded the timber payments by charging oil 
companies for royalties they should have paid but didn't because of a 
government error on drilling leases in the late 1990s.

"That bill is nothing but a sham," Sali said. "The only thing it might do 
is push gas prices to $5 a gallon." 

He blamed "radical environmentalists" for bringing about lower timber 
harvests in the first place, which prompted the Craig-Wyden legislation to 
reimburse rural counties and school districts for the lost payments.

Sali said oil companies likely would sue to block the funding mechanism 
anyway, so the bill was merely a "bait-and-switch measure."

Minnick's campaign spokesman, John Foster, said, "The people of Idaho sent 
Bill Sali to Washington to represent their interests. 

"With one vote, he proved that he cares more about oil companies than he 
does about Idaho schoolchildren and local governments."

Since the Craig-Wyden legislation expired, Congress has passed short-term 
extensions, but the House on Thursday defeated Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio's 
four-year extension bill. Hanging in the balance are substantial portions 
of the budgets for rural North Idaho counties and school districts in 
Idaho's 1st Congressional District, which Sali represents.

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For more information concerning Bill Sali's voting record, go to:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes.xpd?person=412201

Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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