Political Quotes

“Mr. President, States and localities are not allowed to tax land held by the Federal Government. As a result of this, Congress created the PILT Program to reimburse States for that lost revenue. Now, PILT payments are determined by a complex formula, a formula that unfortunately is far lower than it would be under a tax equivalency. Twenty-one years ago, the USDA concluded that PILT payments needed to be increased by 3\1/2\ times. On certain Federal lands, the number is much larger. A Utah study showed that for lands held in Utah cities, it needed to be 262 times larger. My amendment would help correct this inaccuracy. It would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the true taxable value of PILT land and treat it as if it were owned by anyone else other than the Federal Government and therefore subject to taxation. It would reform the program to more accurately compensate States for the revenue that they lose simply by virtue of the fact that they have Federal land in them. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time? The Senator from West Virginia.”