Coos County is going to get almost $6.2 million soon.

No, the county hasn’t won the lottery. It’s all because it won favor with lawmakers in the legislation to bailout out failing financial institutions. The bill carried the amendment for a four-year extension of timber payments. 

Coos County will see a cut, though, compared to payments from past years. Within four years, the money — to make up for decades’ old slashes in federal timber harvest, thus revenue — will be gone for good.

The county’s last payment in 2006-07 sent about $5.8 million to the county’s general fund and $1.1 million going to the road department. The latest payout will cut that amount by 10 percent, meaning the county should get $5.2 million and the road department will receive an estimated $990,000 this year.

The fiscal year 2008 payment to Oregon counties will be about $254 million — down from $282 million. The second payment will be 81 percent of the 2006 payment and the third will be 73 percent of the 2006 payment, an Association of Oregon Counties press release said.

The fourth year still a little fuzzy, but Oregon’s payment could be further reduced 50 to 60 percent —  if not more.

County managers have long known the payments were going to run out. That hasn’t made it any easier to face.

“We realize the economy is in terrible shape and the state and federal governments will have to make some tough decisions,” association Executive Director Mike McArthur said. “But to assume that Oregon counties have been held harmless or made whole by the four-year extension is dangerous and irresponsible.”

The amount will get smaller each year until they run out again after four payments.

“Wall Street got a bailout,” McArthur said. “Oregon got a bridge. We need to use that bridge wisely because it won’t be there after four years.”