S.1175 - Small County PILT Parity Act (119th Congress)
Summary
The Small County PILT Parity Act (S.1175) aims to amend Title 31 of the United States Code, specifically Section 6903, to adjust the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for low-population counties. The bill seeks to provide additional population tiers and adjust the payment formulas to better reflect the needs of these smaller communities. Introduced in the Senate by Mr. Daines and Ms. Cortez Masto, the bill was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Expected Effects
The primary effect of this bill would be to increase PILT payments to smaller counties with populations under 5,000. This adjustment is achieved by lowering the population threshold for higher payment rates and creating a more granular payment scale based on population tiers. Ultimately, this could lead to increased funding for essential services in these counties.
Potential Benefits
- Increased funding for essential local government services in small counties, such as schools, law enforcement, and infrastructure.
- More equitable distribution of PILT funds based on population size.
- Potential for reduced financial strain on small county governments.
- Enhanced ability for small counties to manage and develop natural resources.
- Improved quality of life for residents in affected counties due to better services.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential decrease in PILT funding for larger counties if the overall PILT budget remains constant.
- Increased administrative burden to implement and manage the new population tiers.
- Possible challenges in accurately determining and verifying population data for each county.
- Risk of unintended consequences or loopholes that could be exploited.
- The bill does not address the overall adequacy of PILT funding, only its distribution.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution's principle of promoting the general welfare (Preamble). Congress has the power to legislate on matters related to federal lands and revenue distribution, as outlined in Article I, Section 8. The bill does not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).