The Durango Herald: Colorado Senators Aim to Extend Initiatives

News Article

By Rocío González

A soon-to-be-introduced bipartisan proposal could extend the life of two initiatives that currently support important programs in Colorado, including local schools, county maintenance programs and forest management.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., announced Friday that the initiatives to be extended are the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, or PILT, and the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The plan is to keep these initiatives running for five more years.

"The PILT program and Secure Rural Schools and the Community Self-Determination Act have been lifelines for financially strapped counties and local businesses," Bennet said. "This bipartisan agreement will ensure that we continue to make smart investments in our communities."

Designed to provide counties with funding for schools and roads, the Secure Rural Schools Act would not only be extended if the new bill is passed, it also would experience some relief in terms of funding cuts. So far, it has been subjected to annual 10 percent cuts, and if this bill is passed, it would lower the annual reductions to 5 percent.

"The Secure Rural Schools funds have made a difference in our ability to provide quality education in our community," said Durango School District 9-R School Board member Julie Levy. "The new bipartisan bill to renew this program is critical to rural area school districts, and I hope to see the full Senate pass it as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, PILT is a program that was introduced to help support counties with vast federal lands, something that limits funding for local government. According to the Department of the Interior, the program helps to "offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal lands within their boundaries."

This bill will be introduced this week by a group of several senators, including Bennet, Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

According to Bennet's office, the group has been searching for options to fund the extensions without adding to the deficit. This new plan would mean that PILT would not have to go through the annual appropriations process, and it would remain fully funded until 2017.

Udall is a co-sponsor of the bill and said he is ready to fight for passage in the Senate.

"I'm proud to support this lifeline that sustains jobs and ensures Colorado's schools stay open and that the services our communities depend on can continue," Udall said.

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