With the introduction of House Bill 362, our state's public lands are at once again at risk. Ask the House State Government Committee to vote NO on HB 362.
HB 362 proposes a constitutional amendment that would require the Forever Wild Land Trust to pay counties for any lost property taxes on lands purchased through the program. HB 362 starts the clock on the end of future Forever Wild purchases. With each additional acquisition, more taxes are owed, and less funding is available to purchase additional lands for public hunting, fishing and recreation. This is the same bill that was introduced in 2017 and, with your help, defeated.
There is a misconception that Forever Wild has a special provision exempting it from property taxes. All state-owned lands—from the Governor’s Mansion and State House, to lands in the state-owned university system—are exempt from property taxes. This bill unfairly targets a program that provides valuable economic benefits to our state. (A recent Return on Investment study shows that for every $1 invested to purchase lands, $5 is returned to the state in goods and services.)
Forever Wild was overwhelming supported when introduced in 1992 with 83% of the vote and reauthorized in 2012 by 75% of voters. The people of Alabama have spoken out again and again in favor of this program. How many times do we have to send the message to our elected officials that the voters of Alabama support public lands for recreation and hunting?
Please tell your elected officials: Vote NO on HB 362!