Kudos to Minnesota lawmakers who realized that elimination of payment-in-lieu of taxes on school trust lands was a mistake.
Bills at the Legislature that would switch management of school trust lands from the Department of Natural Resources to a panel also would have eliminated PILT.
Amendments to both House and Senate bills have been added that would continue PILT to Koochiching and other counties that contain school trust lands.
State lawmakers who now and may in the future represent Borderland said the issue is complicated, but the elimination of PILT to counties with trust lands was not intended and was likely an oversight because of the money trail.
Clearly, the loss of $500,000 annually to Koochiching County would have been devastating. And we appreciate that Borderland’s lawmakers understand the value and importance of the PILT to counties like Koochiching.
After all, activities on these lands benefit schools across the state. And because of their status, these lands may not be developed and therefore do not add to the tax base of the counties in which they are located.
But lawmakers and local officials must remain vigilant. As the state’s economy struggles, programs like PILT will continue to be targeted.
As Commissioner Wade Pavleck told The Journal, “a deal is a deal” when it comes to giving up lands to a public purpose in exchange for the payments.
It’s time that lawmakers from elsewhere in the state become familiar with the unique features of northern counties like Koochiching and understand why these places are receiving payments from the state.
We serve as the vacation mecca for many Minnesotans and deserve a little credit for offering so much public lands for the enjoyment and benefit of the rest of the state.
