MAY 15, 2000 - Ninth District schools that benefit from Impact Aid funds stand to receive a major boost today when the House of Representatives passes H.R. 3616, which re-authorizes this popular education program, now in its 50th year, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

“The Impact Aid program is designed to help school districts that encompass a large amount of federal property meet their funding needs,” explained Smith, a co-sponsor of H.R. 3616. “The school districts near McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis, such as Bethel and Franklin Pierce for example, are beneficiaries of Impact Aid.”

Because property taxes often compose a large portion of a school district’s budget, Impact Aid reimburses school districts for the loss of revenue due to their proximity to non-taxable federal property such as bases or parks. This year alone will bring over $910 million to schools across the country. Local school districts that stand to gain the most from this legislation are Clover Park, Bethel, Franklin Pierce, Yelm and Puyallup.

H.R. 3616 passed the House of Representatives today. President Clinton is expected to sign it into law once it is approved by the Senate.