County to receive $3 million in PILT funds

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nye County will receive $3,074,855 in federal funds as part of the U.S. Department of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced that Nevada counties will share more than $25 million in PILT funding — a record-high level.

The PILT program compensates counties and local governments for non-taxable federal land holdings.

“In 2008, Reid spearheaded the legislation that fully funds PILT to ensure that Nevada’s rural communities have sufficient funding for important public programs. Since then, Reid has worked to ensure the PILT program has been fully funded. PILT was included in the Farm Bill of 2014, which Reid strongly supported and shepherded through the Senate,” according to a press release from the senator’s office.

The formula used to compute payments to counties is based on population levels, receipt sharing payments, and the amount of federal land within an affected county. PILT is set to expire at the end of September. President Obama’s fiscal year 2015 budget submission to Congress included a one-year extension of PILT.

Under the current formula for the program, Nevada’s PILT payments rose roughly $2.1 million from $23.3 million to $25.4 million.

“PILT funding has a remarkable impact for Nevada counties,” Reid stated in the press release. “Over 85 percent of the land in Nevada is owned by the federal government, making it essential that Nevada receive its fair share. These funds support rural communities across Nevada in funding high-quality education, law enforcement, and healthcare systems. I have worked hard to make sure that these crucial programs are fully-funded, and I am grateful that Congress was able to extend these provisions this year. I will work to ensure PILT is again funded for this upcoming fiscal year.”

Nye County Manager Pam Webster said she was pleased to see the county’s portion of PILT funds increased by about $175,000 this year. She said the increase will help shore up the county’s budget.