AN ACT

 

1Amending the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798, No.591), entitled
2"An act providing a fixed charge, payable by the
3Commonwealth, on lands acquired by the State and the Federal
4Government for forest reserves, or for the purpose of
5preserving and perpetuating a portion of the original forests
6of Pennsylvania, and preserving and maintaining the same as
7public places and parks; and the distribution of the same for
8county, school, township, and road purposes in the counties,
9school districts, and townships where such forests are
10located; and making an appropriation," increasing annual
11charge.

12The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13hereby enacts as follows:

14Section 1. Section 1 of the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798,
15No.591), referred to as the Forest Reserves Municipal Financial
16Relief Law, amended July 7, 2006 (P.L.722, No.102), is amended
17to read:

18Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That (a) from and after the
19passage of this act, all lands heretofore or hereafter acquired
20by the Commonwealth, or by the Government of the United States,
21for forest reserves or for the purpose of preserving and

1perpetuating any portion of the original forests of Pennsylvania
2and preserving and maintaining the same as public places and
3parks, and which, by existing laws, are now exempt from
4taxation, and all lands and property heretofore or hereafter
5acquired for the purpose of conservation of water, or to prevent
6flood conditions, upon which a tax is imposed by existing laws
7payable by the Commonwealth, shall hereafter be subject to an
8annual charge of [forty cents] one dollar per acre plus eighty
9cents per acre as a supplement for the benefit of the county in
10which said lands are located, [forty cents] one dollar per acre
11plus eighty cents per acre as a supplement for the benefit of
12the schools in the respective school districts in which such
13lands are located, and [forty cents] one dollar per acre plus
14eighty cents per acre as a supplement for the benefit of the
15township where such lands are located, which charge shall be
16payable by the Commonwealth, subject to the availability of
17funds pursuant to section 2(b)(2). (b) Except as hereinafter
18provided, the annual charge payable by the Commonwealth on land
19acquired by the Government of the United States for forest
20reserves is to continue only until the receipts of money by
21treasurers and township supervisors of the said counties and
22school districts and townships in which national forest reserves
23are located, provided for in act of April twenty-seventh, one
24thousand nine hundred twenty-five, Pamphlet Laws, three hundred
25twenty-four, shall equal or exceed the amount paid by the
26Commonwealth in lieu of taxes. This subsection shall not apply
27to the annual charge per acre for the benefit of the county in
28which the land acquired by the Government of the United States
29for forest reserves is located for the years one thousand nine
30hundred fifty-three, one thousand nine hundred fifty-four, one

1thousand nine hundred fifty-five, one thousand nine hundred
2fifty-six, and this subsection shall not apply to two and one-
3half cents of the annual charge per acre for the benefit of the
4county in which the land acquired by the Government of the
5United States for forest reserves is located for any year
6thereafter. The charges for the benefit of the county for these
7years shall be paid by the Commonwealth. All charges payable by
8the Commonwealth under the provisions of this act shall be paid
9on or before the first day of September of each year.

10Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.