If you are not familiar with the impact that federal lands have on tax revenue, be sure to read the following. Better would be to take the federal lands back to the states’. Via Idaho Politics Weekly:
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for FY17 approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
Included in the legislation are policies important to western states and critical funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), a vital program in the west that ensures communities are adequately compensated for the lack of tax revenue due to the presence of federal land.
“Every county in Idaho depends on the federal government meeting its obligations through Payments in Lieu of Taxes,” said Simpson. “PILT is essentially the government’s property tax on the federal land it owns, and it needs to be paid fully and on time. I’m pleased that full funding was included in this bill, and I am also committed to fulfilling the promises made to public lands counties in the long-term and will continue working to provide permanent certainty for Idaho’s counties.”
Simpson, who is vice-chair of the subcommittee, also supported language that would prevent a future listing of the sage-grouse while prohibiting any changes to resource management plans that are inconsistent with state management plans. The language also prohibits the withdrawal of mineral rights in sage-grouse focal areas.
“The decision not to list the sage-grouse as an endangered species last September was a victory for western states,” said Simpson. “However, I remain concerned about the impacts of the BLM’s resource management plans and the consequences they will have on Idaho. This language ensures that state voices are a part of sage-grouse management and conservation efforts.”