Northern Idaho County Asks Feds for Continued PILT Payments

SANDPOINT, Idaho (AP) — Bonner County commissioners in northern Idaho want Congress to approve a federal program that compensates rural counties for federal lands they can't tax.

The Bonner County Daily Bee reports (http://bit.ly/1z8Dllc) in a story on Sunday that commissioners joined the National Association of Counties in asking that lawmakers approve the program known as Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT.

About 1,900 local governments — mostly in the West — received a total of $400 million last year.

Bonner County received about $630,000 in PILT funding, and another $415,000 from a program called Secure Rural Schools.

The commissioners are asking Idaho's Congressional delegation to help secure the PILT program.

The commissioners say that without the money the county could face shortfalls or tax increases to pay for mandated county services.