This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
WASHINGTON - Local governments in Utah will get $19.6 million to compensate communities with large swaths of nontaxable federal lands. The amount is $500,000 more than the state received last year. "These funds are essential for Utah counties and local governments in our state," Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, said in a statement. "Utah has one of the highest percentages of land owned by the federal government and as a result, receives far less in tax revenues." The funding, called Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT, helps communities be able to pay for services such as fire protection and search and rescue operations. Cannon, chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, says the increase is good news, but that the federal government should be granting the "fully authorized level of PILT funding, not a fraction." - Thomas Burr
