The Payments in Lieu of Taxes
(PILT) program, administered by the U.S. Department of the
Interior, provides federal funds to counties to offset property
tax revenue lost due to the presence of non-taxable federal lands
within county jurisdictions. The 2023 Congressional spending
package included
$578.8 million for local governments nationwide, and $61 million for
local governments in California. The PILT program is a
discretionary program subject to the annual Congressional
appropriations process.
The
National Association of Counties (NACo), and counties across
the country, are mobilizing to
urge Congress to permanently make the PILT program
non-discretionary and require Congress to fully fund the program
annually. County officials are encouraged to reach out to their
U.S.
Senators and Representatives to
advocate for complete, mandatory annual funding of the PILT
program.
To learn more about the PILT program and these advocacy efforts,
counties can access a
recording of a webinar hosted by NACo on Friday, September
15.
