Congress·In Committee·S. 1175

Federal Funding for Small Rural Counties

Small County PILT Parity Act

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No legislative action in over 90 days.

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This bill changes how the federal government pays local communities that contain federal land, such as national parks or forests. Because local governments cannot charge property taxes on federal land, the government sends these payments to help cover the cost of local services like schools and roads.
The plan specifically helps very small counties with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people. Under current rules, these tiny communities often receive lower payments because the funding formula was originally designed for larger areas.
By creating new population categories, the bill ensures that the smallest rural towns get a fairer share of money. For example, a community with 1,000 people would have its payment calculated at $394.15 per person, which is a higher rate than what larger cities receive.
This is especially important for rural areas in the West where the federal government owns a large percentage of the land. Without these payments, these small towns would struggle to provide basic services like police, fire protection, and emergency medical care to their residents.