Natural Resources Attorney Alyssa Florack-Hess authored an opinion piece in Governing examining the federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program on its 50th anniversary. Alyssa argues that the program's unpredictable funding and flawed formula have failed rural counties with high concentrations of federal land, leaving them chronically underserved. She calls on Congress to reform PILT by committing to permanent funding, eliminating the population cap, and pairing those changes with collaborative land management policies that give counties a meaningful voice in federal decisions affecting their communities.
Read the full article in Governing.