Watkins Glen, NY—Schuyler County has successfully opted into a
class action lawsuit against the federal government to recover payments in lieu
of property taxes on federal lands within the county.
According to Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman, the county
was notified Friday (August 31) that its claim had been accepted in the Kane County, Utah v. United States class
action lawsuit to recover federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) underpayments
for fiscal years 2015 through 2017.
The County Legislature voted August 13 to authorize Getman to file
papers joining the lawsuit.
The United States Court of Claims has held that underpayments by
the Department of Interior on federal PILT programs in Kane County and other
local governments may have occurred during 2015 to 2017, Getman explained. The PILT Act is intended to compensate local
governments for tax revenues lost from federal lands in their jurisdictions,
and the costs of providing services to those lands, Getman said.
That could include the part of the Finger Lakes National Forest in
the Town of Hector, Getman said.
“If court determines the county was underpaid under PILT
agreements for lands in the National Forest, the county can recover additional
money” Getman said. “There is no cost to participate in the
lawsuit and no disadvantage to the county to do so.”
According to County Administrator Tim O’Hearn, “any money
collected would go to the county as direct revenue to offset the cost of
services to the forest and lost tax revenue, in order to reduce the local tax
burden.”
“Given the fiscal stresses placed on local governments by state
and federal mandates, county officials have a duty to make sure that any funds
due Schuyler County taxpayers come back to Schuyler County to pay for necessary
services,” Getman noted.
County Treasurer Harriett Vickio has reported that the County
received payments for the affected years as follows: 2015, $16,526.00; 2016, $17,244.00; 2017,
$17,091.00.
Any additional amounts for those years obtained from the lawsuit
would be calculated by the court, Getman said.
