PRINTER'S NO. 796
No. 736 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY LENTZ, STAPLETON AND FRAME, JUNE 3, 1975
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, JUNE 3, 1975
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798, No.591), entitled
2 "An act providing a fixed charge, payable by the
3 Commonwealth, on lands acquired by the State and the Federal
4 Government for forest reserves, or for the purpose of
5 preserving and perpetuating a portion of the original forests
6 of Pennsylvania, and preserving and maintaining the same as
7 public places and parks; and the distribution of the same for
8 county, school, township, and road purposes in the counties,
9 school districts, and townships where such forests are
10 located; and making an appropriation," increasing the amount
11 of money paid for benefits.
12 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13 hereby enacts as follows:
14 Section 1. Section 1, act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798,
15 No.591), entitled "An act providing a fixed charge, payable by
16 the Commonwealth, on lands acquired by the State and the Federal
17 Government for forest reserves, or for the purpose of preserving
18 and perpetuating a portion of the original forests of
19 Pennsylvania, and preserving and maintaining the same as public
20 places and parks; and the distribution of the same for county,
21 school, township, and road purposes in the counties, school
22 districts, and townships where such forests are located; and
23 making an appropriation," amended August 1, 1963 (P.L.457,
1 No.243), is amended to read:
2 Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That (a) from and after the
3 passage of this act, all lands heretofore or hereafter acquired
4 by the Commonwealth, or by the Government of the United States,
5 for forest reserves or for the purpose of preserving and
6 perpetuating any portion of the original forests of Pennsylvania
7 and preserving and maintaining the same as public places and
8 parks, and which, by existing laws, are now exempt from
9 taxation, and all lands and property heretofore or hereafter
10 acquired for the purpose of conservation of water, or to prevent
11 flood conditions, upon which a tax is imposed by existing laws
12 payable by the Commonwealth, shall hereafter be subject to an
13 annual charge of [eight] ten cents per acre, for the benefit of
14 the county in which said lands are located, [eight] ten cents
15 per acre for the benefit of the schools in the respective school
16 districts in which such lands are located, and [four] ten cents
17 per acre for the benefit of the roads in the township where such
18 lands are located, which charge shall be payable by the
19 Commonwealth.
20 (b) Except as hereinafter provided, the annual charge payable
21 by the Commonwealth on land acquired by the Government of the
22 United States for forest reserves is to continue only until the
23 receipts of money by treasurers and township supervisors of the
24 said counties and school districts and townships in which
25 national forest reserves are located, provided for in act of
26 April twenty-seventh, one thousand nine hundred twenty-five,
27 Pamphlet Laws, three hundred twenty-four, shall equal or exceed
28 the amount paid by the Commonwealth in lieu of taxes. This
29 subsection shall not apply to the annual charge per acre for the
30 benefit of the county in which the land acquired by the
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1 Government of the United States for forest reserves is located
2 for the years one thousand nine hundred fifty-three, one
3 thousand nine hundred fifty-four, one thousand nine hundred
4 fifty-five, one thousand nine hundred fifty-six, and this
5 subsection shall not apply to two and one-half cents of the
6 annual charge per acre for the benefit of the county in which
7 the land acquired by the Government of the United States for
8 forest reserves is located for any year thereafter. The charges
9 for the benefit of the county for these years shall be paid by
10 the Commonwealth. All charges payable by the Commonwealth under
11 the provisions of this act shall be paid on or before the first
12 day of September of each year.
13 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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