County Payments
In 1999, Senator Wyden teamed with Republican Senator Larry Craig to author the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, commonly known as the “county payments” law. The law honors the federal government’s historic commitment to rural communities where the federal government holds land, establishing a payment formula for counties that had previously received revenue-sharing payments from the United States Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Since October 2000, the program has secured over $2.7 billion dollars for Oregon counties -- keeping teachers in classrooms, Sheriffs on the job and roads in good repair. Wyden fought for and won reauthorization of the program in 2008.
Latest
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Wyden Leads Letter to Senate Conferees Calling for County Payments and PILT to be Adopted in Surface Transportation Conference
Local and county governments are currently finalizing their budgets for the coming year. Without reauthorization of county payments legislation included in the Senate version of the surface transportation bill now being considered by members from both houses in the conferen...…Read More
Posted on 05/10/12 -
Wyden Statement on Senate Passage of County Payments Extension
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) -- author of the Secure Rural Schools legislation that created the county payments program -- issued the following statement after the Senate passed and sent to the House the Transportation bill that includes...…Read More
Posted on 03/14/12 -
Wyden Statement on County Payments Funding in the President’s Budget
Funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act -- commonly known as “county payments” -- is included as “mandatory” spending in President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget released today. (Previous yea...…Read More
Posted on 02/13/12 -
Oregon Leadership Unites Behind Legislation to Extend County Payments Program
All six members of the Oregon Congressional delegation – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and Greg Walden – and Governor John Kitzhab...…Read More
Posted on 10/05/11 -
Wyden Chairs Energy Subcommittee with BLM Director Part 2
Posted on 08/03/11 -
President’s Budget Includes Reauthorization Funding for County Payments Program
As President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2012 budget this morning, members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation announced that it includes $328 million to fund the first of a multi-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination...…Read More
Posted on 02/14/11 | -
Wyden Statement on Lane County Decision to Use County Payment Money for Jail Beds
Portland, OR -- Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today following a decision by the Lane County Board of Commissioners to use county payment money for public safety."I am thankful to my friends and colleagues on the Lane County commission for voting to use f...…Read More
Posted on 06/18/09 |