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Allegany County officials discuss several state land acquisitions and question flat payments in lieu of taxes
Summary
County staff described multiple parcels the state proposes to add to wildlife management areas and state parks. Commissioners voiced concern the state's payments in lieu of taxes have not grown despite additional purchases and asked staff to seek revenue estimates and SDAT clarification before putting the parcels on a future agenda.
County staff identified multiple parcels the state is proposing to add to Allegany County public lands, and commissioners asked for more financial detail before taking formal action.
At a meeting where staff reviewed five state acquisition proposals, staff said the parcels include about 140 acres from Tri County Developments along Jackson Mountain Road for Dans Mountain Wildlife Management Area, roughly 100 acres owned by Marie Miller, about 195 acres along Wells Mountain Road intended to become part of Wells Mountain State Park, and a 221-acre Shaw Property off Oliver Belch Road proposed for Warrior Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Staff also noted the state has acquired property formerly occupied by Artmore Plastics to provide access to parts of the park effort. (Speaker 2)
The proposals matter because state-owned lands are removed from the local tax base; one commissioner said the state already owns roughly 29 percent of county acreage and that Allegany County currently receives about $1 million a year in payments from the state as a payment in lieu of taxes. The same commissioner said the county had a multi-year dispute with the state over acreage counts and payments and expressed concern that further acquisitions could reduce county operating revenue unless state payments rise. (Speaker 1)
"I'll speak very frankly on this," Speaker 1 said. "It takes property off of the tax map and into the state's hand, which already owns 29% of our county, roughly. ... If you give them any more ground to take off the tax map, to rip us again, because when you send out 38,000 tax bills in Allegany County, and divide operating costs by 38,000, it'd be nice if they was truly a partner they say they are to step up to the table and pay their share." (Speaker 1)
Commissioners and staff discussed the history of the county's payments from the state, with staff saying the county received a large initial payment and subsequent payments dropped and then remained roughly flat. One commissioner asked whether payment amounts are capped and whether additional acquisitions would increase the county's payment; staff replied they would seek clarification. (Speakers 1, 2)
Directions and next steps: commissioners asked staff to obtain revenue estimates for each parcel and to seek clarification from SDAT (the State Department of Assessments and Taxation) or the appropriate state office about how payments in lieu of taxes would change if the state acquires more acreage. Staff said they would put the acquisitions on a future agenda for formal action once the revenue estimates and clarifications are available. (Speaker 2)
No formal votes were taken on the parcels at the meeting. Commissioners indicated intent to place the items on a future agenda and to evaluate each parcel with an estimate of the county's expected revenue impact before voting.
Ending: Staff said they would attempt to provide per-parcel estimates so the commissioners could review the fiscal impact before any formal acceptance or endorsement of state acquisition proposals. (Speaker 2)
