The Western Governors’ Association appreciates the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for its attention to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) programs in its hearing on Nov. 21, 2019. The outreach of Nov. 18, 2019 to Senators Lisa Murkowski and Joe Manchin, signed by WGA Executive Editor Jim Ogsbury, includes the Governors’ Resolution, Tax-Exempt Federal Lands and Secure Rural Schools, and previous correspondence to Congressional leadership communicating the importance of PILT and SRS to western communities. The programs compensate counties for lost property tax revenue from tax-exempt federal lands, enabling them to fund essential services on public lands and critical educuation needs, among other things. Read, download the letter