H.J.R. 14 Enrolled

JOINT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ACTION
PLAN FOR PUBLIC LANDS AND EDUCATION
2003 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Stephen H. Urquhart
J. Stuart Adams
Calvin G. Bird
DeMar Bud Bowman
Judy Ann Buffmire
Don E. Bush
David Clark
Stephen D. Clark
David N. CoxGlenn A. Donnelson
James A. Ferrin
James R. Gowans
Neil A. Hansen
Neal B. Hendrickson
Kory M. Holdaway
Eric K. Hutchings
Bradley G. LastMerlynn T. Newbold
Loraine T. Pace
Brent D. Parker
Darin G. Peterson
J. Morgan Philpot
Jack A. Seitz
Martin R. Stephens This joint resolution of the Legislature urges the United States Congress to appropriate
just compensation to the state of Utah for the impact of federal land ownership on the
state's ability to fund public education.
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
WHEREAS, for many years western states have grappled with the challenge of
providing the best education for their citizens;
WHEREAS, western states face unique challenges in achieving this goal;
WHEREAS, from 1979 to 1998 the percent change in expenditures per pupil in 13
western states was 28%, compared to 57% in the remaining states;
WHEREAS, in 2000-01, the pupil per teacher ratio in 13 western states averaged 17.9%
to one compared with 14.8% to one in the remaining states;
WHEREAS, the conditions in western states are exacerbated by projections that
enrollment will increase by an average of 7.1%, compared to an average decrease of 2.6% in
the rest of the nation;
WHEREAS, despite the wide disparities in expenditures per pupil and pupil per teacher
ratio, western states tax at a comparable rate and allocate as much of their budgets to public
education as the rest of the nation;
WHEREAS, the ability of western states to fund education is directly related to federal

ownership of state lands;
WHEREAS, the federal government owns an average of 51.9% of the land in 13 western
states, compared to 4.1% in the remaining states;
WHEREAS, the enabling acts of most western states promise that 5% of the proceeds
from the sale of federal lands will go to the states for public education;
WHEREAS, a federal policy change in 1976 ended these sales resulting in an estimated
$14 billion in lost public education funding for western states;
WHEREAS, the ability of western states to fund public education is further impacted by
the fact that state and local property taxes, which public education relies heavily upon to fund
education, cannot be assessed on federal lands;
WHEREAS, the estimated annual impact of this property tax prohibition on western
states is over $4 billion;
WHEREAS, the federal government shares only half of its royalty revenue with the
states;
WHEREAS, royalties are further reduced because federal lands are less likely to be
developed and federal laws often place stipulations on the use of state royalty payments;
WHEREAS, the estimated annual impact of royalty payment policies on western states is
over $1.86 billion;
WHEREAS, much of the land that the federal government transferred to states upon
statehood as a trust for public education is difficult to administer and to make productive because
it is surrounded by federal land;
WHEREAS, federal land ownership greatly hinders the ability of western states to fund
public education;
WHEREAS, the federal government should compensate western states for the significant
impact federal land ownership has on the ability of western states to educate its citizens; and
WHEREAS, just compensation will allow western states to be on equal footing with the
rest of the nation in their efforts to provide education for their citizens:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges

- 2 -

the United States Congress to appropriate just compensation to the state of Utah for the impact of
federal land ownership on the state's ability to fund public education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of
the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
President of the United States, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.

- 3 -