October 5, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced a bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) programs for five more years. Senator Reid is a cosponsor of the County Payments Reauthorization Act of 2011 that would fund essential services and support public schools, law enforcement, county road improvement and maintenance projects in Nevada.  More than 87 percent of Nevada's land is federally owned and therefore not subject to state and local taxes. The PILT program provides crucial resources to Nevada counties for essential services and investments.

"For too long, Nevada counties did not receive the funding they deserve" said Reid. "Some in Washington were willing to let counties in Nevada and across the country take a big hit without these crucial resources. As our economy continues to recover, we must support our county schools and community services in rural areas. The PILT program and Secure Rural Schools ensure Nevada counties get their fair share to pay for essential services like schools, law enforcement, medical facilities and road maintenance."

In 2008, Senator Reid led the effort to fully fund the PILT program through 2012 and to increase significantly the amount of funding provided to Nevada's communities under the Secure Rural Schools program. In 2011, Nevada counties received a total of $22,942,298 as a direct result of Senator Reid's efforts.

BACKGROUND:

·        The bipartisan County Payments Reauthorization Act of 2011 would fund the Secure Rural Schools and Payments in Lieu of Taxes programs for 5 more years.

·        The bill would provide more than $1.5 billion to more than 700 counties with national forest lands to support public schools, county road improvement and maintenance projects, collaborative forestry projects, and wildfire risk reduction programs.

·        It also would extend guaranteed full-funding under the PILT program to more than 1,900 counties in 49 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to help fund essential county government programs.

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