Oregon: Transfer public lands from feds?
Sunday, October 13. 2013
by Sen. Doug Whitsett
The United States government owns more than 55 percent of all the acreage in Oregon. A total of more than 53,000 square miles, or 34 million acres, is held in federal title. Oregon has the fifth highest federal ownership percentage among all of the 13 Western states.
So what is wrong with this massive federal ownership of Oregon land and how did it happen?
The United States Constitution prohibits the states from imposing or collecting taxes on property owned by the federal government. More than half of the landmass of the state of Oregon is thereby excluded from Oregon’s taxing authority. Any existing or potential improvements located on that 53,000 square miles of federal land is also exempt from property taxation. This situation obviously creates a huge barrier to the adequate funding for Oregon’s schools, public safety, transportation infrastructure, and care for our most vulnerable citizens.
Further, the federal ownership of more than half of the landmass of Oregon functionally excludes it from economic development. Virtually all of Oregon’s businesses, jobs, wealth and infrastructure are found on the 40 percent of Oregon’s landmass that is privately owned. Conversely, virtually none is found on the 34 million acres of federally owned land. The burden of the cost of State and local government in Oregon is borne by the taxation of less than half of the lands of the state.
by Sen. Doug Whitsett
The United States government owns more than 55 percent of all the acreage in Oregon. A total of more than 53,000 square miles, or 34 million acres, is held in federal title. Oregon has the fifth highest federal ownership percentage among all of the 13 Western states.
So what is wrong with this massive federal ownership of Oregon land and how did it happen?
The United States Constitution prohibits the states from imposing or collecting taxes on property owned by the federal government. More than half of the landmass of the state of Oregon is thereby excluded from Oregon’s taxing authority. Any existing or potential improvements located on that 53,000 square miles of federal land is also exempt from property taxation. This situation obviously creates a huge barrier to the adequate funding for Oregon’s schools, public safety, transportation infrastructure, and care for our most vulnerable citizens.
Further, the federal ownership of more than half of the landmass of Oregon functionally excludes it from economic development. Virtually all of Oregon’s businesses, jobs, wealth and infrastructure are found on the 40 percent of Oregon’s landmass that is privately owned. Conversely, virtually none is found on the 34 million acres of federally owned land. The burden of the cost of State and local government in Oregon is borne by the taxation of less than half of the lands of the state.
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