Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) says the budget deal approved by Congress took out the money for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program. The PILT program provides federal payments to local governments to help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal land within their boundaries. These resources help pay for critical services like Search and Rescue operations, road maintenance, and fire protection. Enzi said there are about 1,900 counties that are owed that money, some of which rely on that money for 20 to 40 percent of their total budget.

Enzi said funding for the PILT program for one year is included in the Farm Bill, which would allow local governments to move forward with their budgets. He added that Congress needs to provide more certainty for those communities in the long term, rather than force them to wonder year to year if they will receive that money.

 

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