March 4, 2008

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid met today with the executive committee of the Nevada Association of Counties (NACO) to discuss Payment In Lieu of Taxes, water, land, and mining issues.

"The Nevada Association of Counties was here to discuss how we can work together to met the needs of Nevada's seventeen counties," said Reid.  "One of the best ways to do this is by fully funding the Payment In Lieu of Taxes program.  I'll continue working to ensure Nevada gets the PILT funding it needs so our rural communities can grow even stronger."

The federal government owns 87 percent of Nevada's land, including 48 million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and 6 million acres of national forest land. PILT funds are distributed to counties based on a formula that evaluates the total acreage of federal lands and the size of the local population, among other factors.  All 17 Nevada counties receive PILT payments. 

Those that were in attendance include Jeff Fontaine, NACO Executive Director, Nevada Association of Counties, Jim Baushke, NACO President and Douglas County Commissioner, John Ellison, NACO Past President and Elko County Commissioner, Norm Frey, Churchill County Commissioner, Doug Johnson, Douglas County Commissioner, Roger Mancebo, Pershing County Commissioner, and Kitty Jung, new Washoe County Commissioner.