Financing Strategies for Land Conservation in Kentucky

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Financing Strategies for Land Conservation in
Kentucky
(Photos from www.KYLandsales.com)
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• The Goal
• Reliable Funding Source for Land Conservation
• Means to Reliable Funds
• Constitutionally dedicated funding
• Statutorily dedicated funding
• Annual budget appropriations
• Granting legislative authority to local and
  county governments

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Constraints in Kentucky

• State Revenues are Uncertain
• No New Tax Pledges
• High Competition for Resources
• Difficult to Implement Ballot Measures

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Current KY Programs

• 1. Direct appropriation from general funds.
• 2. Revenue from environmental license plates.
• 3. Environmental penalty monies
• 4. Unmined mineral taxes
• 5. Non-game tax check-off
• 6. PACE program

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Funding Strategies Across the Country
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• Most Popular Methods
• Non-game tax check-off item
• Bonds (oldest practice established in 60s in FL,
  NJ, NY)
• General Fund Appropriations
• License Plate Sales
• Real Estate Transfer Tax
• Specialty Stamps
• Hunting and Fishing License Fees
• Less Common
• Lottery
• Oil/Gas/Mineral
• (most established in 80s 90s)

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UNIQUE PROGRAMS

• Court Settlements that Establish Trust Funds
• Interest on State Agency Checking Accounts
• Use of the State Level Capital budget rather
  than the general fund.
• Forest and Park Entrance Fees
• Motor Vehicle Registration Fee
• Land Grants
• Affinity Credit Card
• Hotel or Lodging Tax
• Parcel Tax
• Utility Tax
• Use Tax

• Cigarette Tax
• Sales Taxes on specific things like sporting
  goods
• Portion of general Sales Tax
• Conveyance Tax (this is new in Hawaii)
• Agricultural Transfer Tax
• Dedicated County and Local Taxes
• Property Tax incentives/penalty fees
• Tax Credits
• State Income Tax Deductions
• Local and Community Bonds
• Gaming Revenues
• Proceeds from leasing public lands

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Means of Implementation

• Constitutional Amendments
• Legislative Action
• Ballot Measures

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Funding Sources to Consider

• Affinity Credit Card
• Maines Program
• Surplus/Abandoned/
• Confiscated Land
• Attention to Military Closings and Restructuring

• Fees or Taxes
• State Parks
• Hunting and Fishing Licenses
• Motor Vehicle Registration
• Bridge Tolls
• Impact Fees
• Real Estate Transfers
• Commuters
• Cigarettes and Tobacco Products

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Resources

• http//www.biodiversitypartners.org/policy/Funding
  _Mechanism.pdf
• http//ceres.ca.gov/planning/conservation_guideboo
  k/OtherStates.pdf
• http//ceres.ca.gov/planning/conservation_guideboo
  k/Federal_Funding.pdf
• http//www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?templat
  e/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfmContentID
  14201
• http//efc.muskie.usm.maine.edu/conservation_finan
  ce/
• http//www.osbd.state.ky.us/Consensus20Forecast2
  0Group.htm
• http//www.maine.gov/spo/lmf/about/history.php
• http//www.conservationalmanac.org/landvote/cgi-bi
  n/confirm.cgi