María Elvira Salazar: “The reality of the West in America is so much of our lands are owned by the Federal Government. We have about a third of…”

“The reality of the West in America is so much of our lands are owned by the Federal Government. We have about a third of the entire State of Colorado--and it is a big State, but it is about a third of that State--that is owned by the Federal Government. In some of those counties in my State, 95 to 98 percent of the lands is owned by the Federal Government as well. So they have been dependent on payments in lieu of taxes in order for them to be able to pay the expenses of their government. Unfortunately, what has happened over many years in the past is there has not been the full funding of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program. The consequence of that is some of these small rural counties in my State of Colorado have not had the financial wherewithal to be able to move forward with the functioning of their government. I am hopeful the bipartisan coalition Senator Wyden has put together will help us move forward in the full funding of the bill.”