Vote: approved

Item Text

20. APPORTIONMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST FEES Pursuant to A.R.S. § 11-497, approve the apportionment of $566,444 of National Forest Fees for FY 08-09. The Superintendent of Schools (370) Fund (100) will receive 84%, the Superintendent of Schools (715) School Grant Fund (715) will receive 9%, and the Emergency Management Department (151) Emergency Management Fund (215) will receive 7% to be used for Title III programs. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS Act), Public Law 106-393, was enacted to provide five years of transitional assistance to rural counties affected by the decline in revenue from timber harvests on federal lands. The last payment authorized under P.L. 106-393 was for FY 2006. On May 25, 2007, the Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007, P.L. 110-28, was signed into law. It included a provision for payments to States and counties for FY 2007 and extended provisions of Title II and Title III of the SRS Act. On October 3, 2008, P.L. 110-343 (H.R. 1424, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, and Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008) was signed into law. Section 601 of Division C of P.L. 110-343 amends and reauthorizes the SRS Act (P.L. 106-393). The SRS Act, as amended, retains the original title. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 indicates that if the County share of the State payment (or State transition payment) is $350,000 or greater, the County must allocate a total of 15% to 20% of its share to Title II and Title III projects, except that the allocation for Title III projects may not exceed 7%, or return 15% of its share to the Treasury. The total allocation percentage amounts distributed to Title II and Title III combined must be no less that 15% and no greater than 20%. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 indicates that Title III funds may be used to: 1) Carry out activities under the Firewise Communities Program to provide homeowners in fire sensitive ecosystems education and assistance with implementing, techniques in home sitting, home construction, and home landscaping that can increase the protection of people and property from wildfires; 2) Reimburse the participating count for search and rescue and other emergency services, including firefighting that are performed on Federal land after the date on which the use was approved and paid for by the participating county; and 3) Develop community wildfire protection plans in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture. Also, counties that elect to allocate funds for Title III projects must submit certification that the funds were used in accordance with Title III to the Secretary of Agriculture no later than February 1 of the year after county funds were expended. The county is eligible to utilize Title III funds for the purposes specified above. However, if funds cannot or have not been used as indicted by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, funds must be returned to the Treasury. It is the intention of the Superintendent of Schools to use the National Forest Fees for recovery to the General Fund for the purchase of a new financial software system which was purchased in March 2004 and technology purchases; small schools educational programs; and county roads. Further, it is the intention of the Emergency Management Department to utilize the funds they receive in compliance with the requirements of Title III by expanding the scope of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to incorporate northern and eastern Maricopa County; provide funding for the projects identified in the completed plan by the CWPP Committee (i.e. community education/outreach and fuels reduction); and assist in local wildfire mitigation projects. The County Treasurer’s Office has on deposit National Forest Fees for FY 08-09 in the amount of $566,444. This amount represents Maricopa County’s share of the National Forest Fees apportionment. These fees are allocated as described below: Superintendent of Schools (370) General Fund (100): $475,813 Superintendent of Schools (370) Grant Fund (715): $47,532 Emergency Management Department (151) Emergency Management Fund (215): $43,099 (C-37-09-010-M-00)