Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Flood Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee reviews municipal buyout reimbursement pilot, keeps proposal open for follow‑up
Summary
The panel discussed a municipal buyout reimbursement program (pilot) that would reimburse towns with a tax‑value replacement schedule after property buyouts following disasters. Committee members signaled general support but left language open to confirm certification and program details.
The House Appropriations Committee reviewed language on March 12 proposing a municipal buyout reimbursement program intended to reimburse towns for property tax revenue lost when vulnerable properties are bought out after repeated flooding or other disasters. The program described in the session materials would reimburse affected towns for a portion of the lost tax value for a set period following buyouts (committee discussion referenced a structure such as 100% reimbursement for five years and 50% for an additional five years).
Committee members asked how properties would be certified and whether existing pilot language required administrative certification; staff replied that the Division of Emergency Management or the commissioner of public safety would certify eligible properties. Members asked staff to confirm the administrative mechanics and the fiscal impacts on municipal tax bases and local option taxes. The committee did not close the language and left E142.2 open while staff and Ways and Means review details and confirm how the program interacts with local property tax and PILOT structures.
Why it matters: buyouts are a common tool to reduce repetitive‑loss risk, but they shift the tax base. Committee members said they wanted to ensure the program’s reimbursements do not create an unexpected long‑term fiscal obligation for the state or disincentivize other mitigation options.
Next steps: staff will consult with Ways and Means and emergency management to confirm certification criteria, the reimbursement schedule, and budgetary estimates before the committee finalizes any appropriation or language.
