HM 0889 2003
1	House Memorial
2	A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging
3	Congress to fully fund the Payment In Lieu Of Taxes
4	Program for federally owned lands.
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6	WHEREAS, the Federal Government and the nation benefit from
7	federal acquisition of lands, and
8	WHEREAS, the citizens of the United States of America
9	benefit from the continued expansion of federal lands for
10	conservation, recreation, parks, wildlife preservation, and
11	other national-interest purposes, and
12	WHEREAS, the natural characteristics and location of
13	Florida's lands offer attractive expansions of current federal
14	facilities and acquisition of new facilities, and
15	WHEREAS, current federal payments authorized under the
16	Payment in Lieu of Taxes Act are dependent upon annual
17	appropriations by Congress, and
18	WHEREAS, on average, Congress has funded the Payment in
19	Lieu of Taxes Program at less than the full amount, and
20	WHEREAS, Florida's local governments could have received
21	$10.4 million in addition to the $10.5 million they received
22	between 1998 and 2002, and
23	WHEREAS, federal as well as state and local communities
24	benefit from the range and quality of services local governments
25	provide, and
26	WHEREAS, the continuation of range and quality of local
27	government services is dependent upon the overall continued
28	fiscal health of Florida’s local governments, NOW, THEREFORE,
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30	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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32	That the Congress of the United States is encouraged to
33	fully fund the Payment In Lieu of Taxes Program established
34	under the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Act of 1976.
35	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
36	dispatched to the President of the United States, the President
37	of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States
38	House of Representatives, and each member of the Florida
39	delegation to the United States Congress.