Supervisor Kevin Cann (Mariposa), Supervisor Randy Hanvelt (Tuolumne), Commissioner Jim French (Humboldt County, Nevada), and Senator Dean Heller (Nevada)

This week, RCRC 2nd Vice Chair Randy Hanvelt (Tuolumne) and RCRC Board Member and National Association of Counties (NACo) Western Interstate Region (WIR) 2nd Vice President Kevin Cann (Mariposa) joined RCRC staff, supervisors and commissioners from around the United States to advocate for continuing the Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.  This joint effort, known as the NACo PILT Fly-In, allows county officials to spend time on Capitol Hill informing members of Congress and key staff of the importance of these payments to counties.  

Federal PILT provides payments to counties to help offset losses in property tax revenues due to nontaxable federal lands within their jurisdictions.  Federal PILT funding is vital for many of the nation's counties to continue providing critical programs and services to rural communities.

Federal PILT was last reauthorized as part of the 2017 federal budget resolution in which provided $485 million to help support a variety of county activities and programs.  While California’s counties received their Federal PILT authorization in April, future Federal PILT payments – including 2018 – will need to be secured through the federal budget process. 

Supervisor Cann and Supervisor Hanvelt joined their NACo colleagues to urge Congress to fully fund Federal PILT for 2018, and support permanent funding for the future.  Congress is expected to take action to reauthorize the program for 2018 before the end of the federal government’s fiscal year on September 30, 2017.