Show Checks mailed for in lieu taxes payments Utah Congressman Gunn McKay and Interior Secretary Cecil D. D Andrus last week jointly announced Utah's 29 counties will receive for payments in lieu of taxes on federally owned land According to McKay payments payments' range in s size site ue from for Box Elder County to for Morgan County Utah with her 32 million acres of federal land will receive the third largest sum in the country 15 million over that previously announced Uintah County will receive Duchesne County and Daggett County for the local area payments Secretary Andrus announced the checks were mailed September September September Sep Sep- 30 According to McKay who spearheaded the payments in lieu of taxation drive in the House Appropriations Committee Committee Committee Com Com- the funds are arc payments for services rendered rendered rendered ren ren- dered by counties on tax exempt federal lands within their boundaries Its It's not a federal grant or loan or revenue sharing it is simply a payment McKay said the law had been C 18 years in the making mating and was finally enacted this this' summer summer- The law provides 75 cents per acre of entitlement lands minus certain payments from other programs If deductions reduce payments too severely the law provides a flat 10 cents per acre with no deductions According to McKay entitlement entitlement en en- lands are those administered administered ad ad- mil ministered by the Forest Service National Park Service and water resource projects Indian and military reservations reservations reservations reser reser- are not included This is a great day for Utah McKay said explaining that these funds are without federal strings Our counties have been doing valuable work for the federal government without any reimbursement and some of our smaller counties have been bearing heavy burdens Now for the first time lime they will be able to spend the money on other more worthwhile local projects than helping out the government McKay said that payments in lieu funds are not automatic but must be appropriated every year Next year Secretary Andrus may be back here to do dothe dothe dothe the same thing over again |