Nearly $2.25M coming to Baker County through PILT funding
By Logan Bagett on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
BAKER COUNTY — Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding has been announced for each of Oregon’s 36 counties. Baker County is slated to receive $2,249,689 for a total of 1,016,405 acres of federal land.
A press release from U.S. Senators Wyden and Merkley explains, “Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT funding helps to defray the costs associated with maintaining important community services in counties with federal lands.”
PILT compensates counties for tax-exempt federal lands administered by federal agencies. Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that county or jurisdiction.
