FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              

March 23, 2016

Contact: Gregg Fishman, Communications Coordinator
916-327-7500, ext. 516
916-342-9508 mobile

SACRAMENTO –The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) applauds Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, as well as 18 bipartisan members of the California congressional delegation, for designating the federal Payments-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) program as a top budgetary priority.  Senators Feinstein and Boxer, along with their House colleagues, recently signed onto correspondence to House and Senate appropriators requesting full funding for PILT in fiscal year 2017 and beyond.

For nearly 40 years, PILT funding has provided payments to counties to help offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of federal land within their jurisdiction.  Since local governments are unable to tax the property or products derived from federal lands, these payments are necessary to support essential government services such as education, first responders, transportation infrastructure, law enforcement, and other local government responsibilities.

“While Congress has appropriated $452 million to fund PILT in fiscal year 2016, there is no guarantee of continued funding for this vitally important program,” said CSAC Executive Director Matt Cate.  “CSAC will therefore continue to work with the California congressional delegation and other key members to ensure that PILT is fully funded in the upcoming fiscal year.  In addition, we will continue to advocate for a long-term reauthorization of PILT, which would provide much-needed certainty for public lands counties.”

As a whole, California counties typically receive the largest share of PILT funding each year.  For example, in fiscal year 2015, 57 California counties received a combined total of nearly $46 million.  This accounted for more than 10 percent of the approximately $439 million available for the program nationwide.  By comparison, Utah counties received the next highest allocation, which amounted to just over $37.6 million.  Individual counties can view their PILT allocations here.

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) serves as the effective advocate and unified voice of California’s 58 counties.

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