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New studies review the fiscal impact on Mineral and Lake counties of the Montana Legacy Project, a proposal to purchase 310,000 acres of Plum Creek Timber company land and transfer it to state, federal, and private ownership. New public ownership of working-forest lands in western Montana will result in a small reduction in gross revenue to local governments. However, when public ownership is compared to private ownership and future residential development, there is a net fiscal benefit due to avoiding the cost of providing expensive community services and infrastructure.
Mineral County Findings
This report (1.1 Mb pdf) shows the Montana Legacy Project will reduce annual service costs by more than $165,000 by 2025 and would save one-time capital facilities costs of more than $1 million when compared to future residential development of the Plum Creek lands. Mineral County’s budget is unprepared to absorb the costs of residential development that would outweigh new revenue.
Lake County Findings
This report (1.1 Mb pdf) shows the Montana Legacy Project will reduce future annual costs by more than $46,000 by 2025 and would save one-time capital facilities costs of $233,000 when compared to future residential development of the Plum Creek Lands. The impact is relatively smaller in Lake County because forecast homes would be higher-value, reducing but not eliminating the negative fiscal impact of development.
Headwaters Economics Banner photo, Natural Gas Field in Green River Basin, Wyoming by Ben Alexander, 2007. |
