Where rural recreation counties rely on public funding for health care, fiscal solutions should diversify the ways local governments can save and spend.
Tax Policy
Building a Federal Land Endowment
The bipartisan Forest Health for Rural Stability Act would establish a federal land endowment and resolve key challenges of federal land payments to counties.
PILT Proposal Would Help Small-Population Counties
Analysis shows raising Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) population limits for small-population counties would have increased total payments by $2 million in 2019.
Endowing Federal Public Land Counties
Reforming county payments by establishing a permanent Trust to fund Secure Rural Schools (SRS).
Comparing Coal Fiscal Policies for Western States
Coal fiscal policies vary widely across the West in terms of how revenue is generated, set aside in permanent savings, or spent by state and local governments.
President’s Budget Proposal Cuts County Payments
New analysis and interactive map show how the President’s budget proposal cuts county payments and the impact for every county in the nation.
Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust
Unlike most countries and state governments, the U.S. has not created a natural resources trust which could help meet volatility and spending challenges facing local and county governments.
Federal Coal Program in Context
Explore the Socioeconomic Context of the Federal Coal Leasing Program
County Payments Research
County governments are compensated for the tax-exempt status of federal public lands within their boundaries. These payments often constitute a significant portion of county and school budgets, particularly in rural counties with extensive public land ownership.
Wildlife Refuge Payments: Reforms and Funding
How national wildlife refuge payments–especially important to rural counties–could be reformed and funded.
Reforming Wildlife Refuge Payments
How county governments can benefit from reforming wildlife refuge payments.
Outcomes of Higher Federal Coal and Natural Gas Royalty Rates
Analysis shows that proposed federal royalty reforms will increase the cost of delivering natural gas to domestic power plants by a greater amount than coal.
Coal Royalty Reform: Impact on Prices, Production, and State Revenue
The proposed federal coal royalty reform rule could have substantial revenue benefits for federal and state governments, limited impact on coal production or prices on federal lands, and increased transparency.
County Payment Reform Ideas, and Analysis of Recent Proposals
Reform ideas for future county payments from Headwaters Economics as well analysis of proposals made in the House, Senate, and by the President.
Will Federal Coal Valuation Reforms Hurt the Coal Industry? Yes And No
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue recently proposed a new rule that would change the way federal coal is valued for royalty purposes. Will it hurt the industry? Yes and No.
Unconventional Oil and Gas Revenues to Local Governments
This report includes seven major energy-producing states and a new interactive adds four more (AR, LA, and PA). The study and interactive compare how local governments receive production tax revenue from unconventional oil and natural gas.
Federal Coal Royalty Valuation: Current Structure, Effective Rates, and Reform Options
This report reviews problems with the current federal royalty system, estimates current effective royalty rates, and offers several reform options.
Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust?
Compared to other nations and even U.S. states, the federal government is a conspicuous laggard in creating a natural resources trust which would allow for stable, permanent, and ever rising payments to states and local governments without risks to taxpayers.
Falling Oil Prices: Good for the U.S. Economy, Bad for Shale Communities?
Lower oil prices could be great for the economy, but for the communities dependent on drilling, the price drop may prove challenging for several reasons.
North Dakota Not Returning Adequate Oil Revenue to Local Governments
This report compares how North Dakota provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional oil extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.