Public schools, several counties and the state’s universities would stand to gain more funding under a proposal that Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark plans to offer at next month’s regular meeting of the Board of Natural Resources.
In an announcement this morning, Goldmark said he will propose reducing the management fee that DNR retains for timber management and other costs of producing trust revenue. The step, made possible by rising timber prices, would create an opportunity to send a greater percentage of the non-tax revenue that DNR produces from state lands to trust beneficiaries, such as schools and counties.
Goldmark said: “Strong demand for timber has given us confidence that we can send more money to counties and to build schools. More non-tax revenue from state lands can take pressure off of the General Fund and provide local governments with desperately needed cash.”
Golmark’s recommendation to lower the percentage of funds going to manage the state’s trust land assets will allow more of the positive balance in the management fund to go to state trust land beneficiaries such as public K-12 schools statewide, several counties, the state universities, the State Capitol campus, and state penal institutions.
If approved by the board, DNR’s management fee for trust land activities that benefit school construction, universities and capital projects at the State Capitol would be reduced from 30 percent to 27 percent. The management fee for trust land activities that benefit counties and their junior taxing districts, such as schools, hospitals, libraries and emergency services, would be reduced to 23 percent of total revenue.
The 2010 DNR Annual Report describes how DNR generates revenues from state trust lands and manages expenses.
| Follow DNR on: |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
