Posted on 12/26/2014 4:26:27 PM PST by george76
Flathead, Lincoln counties could lose millions if Secure Rural Schools is not reauthorized. Congress recently passed a $1 trillion spending bill to keep the United States government in operation, but missing from that bill are the funds that many counties in Montana have come to rely on in their annual budgets.
The budget bill dropped $330 million in funding from Secure Rural Schools, a federal program run through the U.S. Forest Service providing funding for counties and schools.
Last year, Flathead County received just over $1.6 million in SRS funding; roughly $1,067,000 went toward the county’s road department, and the remaining funds went to the schools.
...
SRS and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds have become integral to the county budget because the Forest Service isn’t logging the timber like it used to. Before SRS started in 2000, counties and schools received 25 percent of the revenues generated from timber sales in national forests within the county’s borders.
“One of two things has to happen,” Berget said. “Either they have to start logging again so we can get the 25 percent, or we’re just going belly up, we’re going under.”
(Excerpt) Read more at flatheadbeacon.com ...
Well, back to home education, then ...
“a federal program run through the U.S. Forest Service providing funding for counties and schools.”
The Forest Service in the business of funding schools.
Has the federal government gotten big enough yet?
Get outta my Forest!
gibs me dat
Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds because the Eco-nuts took over the US Forest Service ; blocking the private / commercial logging the timber like it used to.
Jobs, taxes, businesses, and communities got hit / closed down as the eco nuts also have stopped commercial fishing, ranching ( remember Bundy ? ), and more.
The problem is the Fed/Gov owns all the resources in these counties. For years they kicked back on the logging to the counties to fund things such as schools. Now that the forest service has become essentially a big preserve they are starving the people out. This is why the govt should turn the land over to the states. It ain’t really equal footing when they own up to 85% of some states and as little as 1% of others.
On the teat.
The States should wrest control from the Feds.
Absolutely, or at the very least the Feds should pay property tax on it just like you or I have to.
Stop taking the federal money and cut the fed programs from the school curriculum.
Another thing — buy back that federal forest land.
States should take back whatever is in their borders.
Do with the land as the citizens choose, it belongs to them after all.
Get the FEDS OUT, with the exceptions of STATEGIC MILITARY installations or other CONSTITUTIONALLLY proscribed uses.
Let’s get back to “these” United States, not the all encompassing, suffocating “The” United States.
Last year, Flathead County received just over $1.6 million in SRS funding; roughly $1,067,000 went toward the county’s road department, and the remaining funds went to the schools.”
The Feds gave them money for schools, and they instead spent the money on roads?
The funding should be cut-off entirely.
We have a FEDERAL school system run by the Forest Service...?
How many times does the word, EDUCATION appear in the US Constitution...?
ZERO TIMES.
That function belongs to the STATES.
WHY does 90% of Nevada belong to the US gummint..?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.