The financial impacts to local governments are the potential changes in tax revenues resulting 

 fi-om the fee title purchase. There will not be any significant changes in tax revenues to local 

 governments including schools due to the purchase. Taxes on this property were $2,777 in 1999. 

 Montana Code 87-1-603 states "the treasurer of each county in which the department ovms any 

 land shall describe the land, state the number of acres in each parcel, and request the drawing of a 

 warrant to the county in a sum equal to the amount of taxes which would be payable on county 

 assessment of the property were it taxable to a private citizen." 



B. Economic Impacts 



The fee title purchase will not significantly affect the agricultural activities on the Palmer property. 

 MFAVP is planning to develop share-cropping arrangements on the hay land and acreage where 

 grain is planted for food plots for waterfowl and upland birds. Consequently there will not be any 

 significant financial impacts to local businesses associated with the ranching/farming activities in 

 the long term. 



The fencing, weed control, and irrigation work will provide positive financial impacts to local 

 businesses supplying the materials for these projects. 



Currently the Ninepipe WMA provides about 3,000 hunter days per year. It is anticipated that the 

 acquisition will improve the quality of the hunting experience by spreading these hunters over a 

 larger area. In addition, nonhunting use such as wildlife viewing is expected to provide about 400 

 days of use. This activity will have a positive economic impact to the local business community of 

 approximately $16,000 - $20,000 annually. 



FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 



The fee title purchase will provide long-term protection for wildlife habitat, maintain the 

 agricultural integrity of the land, ensure public access for hunting and other 

 recreational/educational opportunities, and help to ensure the overall integrity of the Ninepipe 

 WMA. 



The purchase of a fee title purchase by MFWP on this property will not cause a reduction in tax 

 revenues fi'om their current levels to Lake county. 



Agricultural activities will continue on this property. Hunting and other recreational activities will 

 continue at their present levels and in some cases increase. The financial impacts of the this 

 acquisition on local businesses will be neutral to positive in both the short and long run. 



