Fresno Leader

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) announced that Fresno and Tulare counties have received $7.6 million under the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payment program as compensation for lost property tax revenue from non-taxable federal lands. PILT funds help fund essential services such as law enforcement, firefighting, emergency response, and public health programs.

“These federal funds will help Fresno and Tulare counties carry out essential services like public health programs, firefighting, and public safety,” said Costa. “I’m proud to help deliver this funding and will continue fighting to strengthen the PILT program.”

PILT funding was distributed as follows:

• Fresno County - $4 million
• Tulare County - $3.6 million

Local governments receive funding through the PILT program based on the number of acres of federal land within each jurisdiction and population. The payments are intended to compensate local communities for the equivalent of the taxes that would have been collected if the lands were privately owned.

Original source can be found here.