Patricia Megason, Rural County Representatives of California
Jay Ziegler, The Nature Conservancy
Natural resource restoration programs are complicated. To be successful, science must align with local planning and land use, and the program must provide a balanced solution acceptable to a variety of stakeholders. One such program currently awaiting Governor Brown’s review seeks to restore the State’s commitment to its county partners involving the restoration of state wildland areas.
Overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature, Senator Mike McGuire’s (D-Healdsburg) Senate Bill 1188 reflects a bipartisan effort to restore Fish and Game Code language making State Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments to counties a requirement. This is an important element to keep local government “whole” in meeting larger statewide resource management objectives.
When adopted in 1949, State PILT was established to offset the reduction in county property tax revenues resulting when the State acquired property for wildlife management areas. When such property is acquired, the State is required by law to pay annually to the county in which the property is located an amount equal to the county taxes levied upon the property at the time title was transferred to the State. However, while the State continues to obtain property for wildlife management areas, the State’s payment of PILT had fallen off for more than a decade when the Department of Fish and Wildlife failed to meet its obligations. Further aggravating the State/County “promise,” the 2015 final State Budget Package included language in the Fish and Game Code that changed “shall” to “may” to make future State PILT payments permissive.
36 California counties rely on State PILT to fund a variety of programs and services for residents, including public safety, fire and emergency services, and local roads and streets. California counties are already doing everything they can to reduce expenses, tighten budgets, and find funding for critical programs and services for residents. Removing the State’s obligated PILT funding could cripple some rural county budgets, resulting in serious secondary consequences for California residents.
While Governor Brown has honored the State’s commitment to PILT, the language change reflected in the 2015-16 State Budget Package allows future Administration’s to view State PILT as permissive, as opposed to obligatory. The Legislature recognizes the importance of State PILT, and we urge the Governor to re-affirm the State’s commitment to 36 California counties and sign SB 1188.