In January, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 15-15 urging Congress to reauthorize and fully fund the Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. Federal PILT funding mitigates the impact to county governments when the federal government acquires private lands that had been subject to local property tax. Once these lands are placed into public ownership, local property tax is not applicable.
“Federal PILT funding is critical to Humboldt County’s ability to provide essential services such as law enforcement, search-and-rescue operations, construction and maintenance of roads, and more,” said Rex Bohn, 1st District Supervisor and Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Delegate. “Without reauthorization, we are set to lose more than $700,000 this year alone.”
For nearly 40 years the federal government has provided county reimbursements under the Federal PILT program; however, these payments are subject to the discretion of Congress. Unless Congress acts before October 1 Federal PILT payments will be placed in jeopardy. Humboldt County and others that contain National Forests, National Parks, lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, lands dedicated for Federal water use, National Wildlife Reserves, and inactive or semi-inactive Army installations are eligible for Federal PILT payments.
Humboldt County joins RCRC in a statewide effort to raise awareness on the importance of Federal PILT funding for California’s rural counties, and highlight how the lack of authorization impacts their ability to adequately and appropriately fund basic and vital local services. Humboldt County and 29 other rural California counties unite in urging Congress to fully fund Federal PILT.