NM U.S Senators Introduce Legislation Providing Millions To Counties

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The money would go to counties to support local employment in schools, county maintenance programs, forest management, and other critical county programs.

The County Payments Reauthorization Act of 2011 would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act for five years. It is a program that supports counties that rely economically on national forest lands. New Mexico counties would receive as much as $58 million over the next five years under the plan.

The bill would fully-fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes or PILT program. Senator Bingaman says on average New Mexico receives around 35 million dollars annually in lieu of taxes from PILT .

Bingaman-"That's money that is divided up among counties depending on how much federal land there is . The idea is to compensate the counties since the federal gov. owns the land."

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act supports local public schools, funds county road improvement and maintenance projects, creates jobs conducting forest restoration and improvement projects in and around National Forests, and supports local initiatives to reduce the risk from wildfires.

Bingaman says the bill has strong bipartisan support in the senate and he hopes they are passed through the senate and later the house in this congress.