Larsen Praises $3 Million in Federal Support for Public Safety, Housing and Other Vital Services in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom Counties
Washington, DC,
June 15, 2012
Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today praised the announcement of more than $3 million of federal funds for public safety, housing and other vital services in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties. The funds, through the Department of Interior’s Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, are used to compensate for losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal lands in the counties. “These federal dollars are a lifeline to our counties that keep teachers in classrooms, put cops on the beat and make sure our roads are in safe repair,” Larsen said. “Counties with federally managed lands lose out on revenue they would otherwise get. Government officials and school administrators across Northwest Washington regularly tell me how critical these payments are to providing these critical services to our communities.” Counties are awarded funding based on acreage of federal lands and population. The payments to the counties are as follows: Skagit County: $843,863 For more information on the PILT program, visit https://www.doi.gov/pilt/summary.html. |