Ask the Conservation Officer (CO)

by Gary Hompland, Regional Conservation Officer Question: "I recently overheard a conversation about the Department evaluating a local land purchase for wildlife habitat and sportsman access. An opponent to the purchase complained about removal of the land from the county property tax base when land is purchased by the government. I thought fish and game property was taxed, please explain. " Answer: You are essentially correct. The Idaho Constitution was amended in 1990 to allow the Fish and Game Department to contribute a fee in lieu of a property tax (FILT) to counties for lands they own or acquire as a way to offset the loss of property tax moneys that would otherwise leave the county coffers. Before this law was enacted, when the Department purchased property for wildlife habitat or access, those property taxes were no longer collected by the counties. Although there may have been a willing seller (a private landowner) and a willing buyer (the Department of Fish and Game) the State of Idaho was exempt from property taxes, so the counties no longer received those monies. The Department owns a total of 31 wildlife management areas throughout Idaho and over 300 boating and fishing access sites. For the ten year period from 1992 - 2002 the Department of Fish and Game paid $2,154,233.89 to 41 Idaho counties where it owns property for the benefit of Idaho citizens and wildlife resources. In 2002 local counties received the following FILT payments for Fish and Game property or public access sites: Cassia $2,328, Elmore $2,434, Gooding $3,138, Jerome $49, Lincoln $34, Minidoka $4. Statewide, in 2002, the Department paid a total of $228,802.19 to the 41 counties where the Department owned land or access sites. Of course it is not a good practice to acquire property unless the Department has the resources to adequately manage and maintain those properties in the manner it was intended. Still, there are times when a unique opportunity may present itself and a valuable piece of wildlife habitat is for sale. FILT gives the Department the ability to purchase lands and not impact the counties financially. Approximately two-thirds of Idaho is public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, State endowment lands, etc. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game owns less than one percent of Idaho's total land area. If you have any further questions you may call the Magic Valley Regional Office of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at (208)324-4350 or e-mail us at the Fish and Game web site at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.