Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Cheswick, is pictured during a recent visit to a black bear den with Pennsylvania Game Commission bear biologists to learn about their work in managing our black bear population.

Warren City Council members aren’t taking a stand against a state bill that could boost Pennsylvania Game Commission land purchases – yet.

Council members discussed a letter to state Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Cheswick, opposing legislation Steele is drafting that would lift the cap on the purchase price the Pennsylvania Game Commission can offer when buying land. Currently, that cap is $400 an acre in all counties except a Second Class county, according to Steele’s co-sponsorship memorandum.

“While acquisitions will not occur within the city, the potential impact of a reduction in taxable real estate within the county would be substantial for Warren County and the Warren County School District and by extension would be felt by city residents,” said Mayor Dave Wortman. “The action requested is for council members’ consideration and regard to joining me and signing the letter in opposition to Representative Steele’s proposal. Attached for your review as part of the packet was the letter that was developed in conjunction with the business community and with the Warren County Commissioners and others.”

Councilman Maurice Cashman raised issues with Steele’s $400-per-acre cap, saying no agency would be able to purchase land if that was the limit. He said most land purchases are much more expensive. He also questioned the letter’s math concerning how much land is actually owned by the Allegheny National Forest and Pennsylvania Game Commission in Warren County, saying he couldn’t find a reliable accounting of the national and state agencies’ land ownership.

Cashman said he wouldn’t sign the letter in its current form, a sentiment echoed by Councilwoman Wendy McCain. Cashman also proposed changing the letter to ask for PILOT payments to local governments, the Warren County School District and Warren County as a whole from the Game Commission for land it purchases.

“If you would change this I would sign it if you say you should be making PILOT payments for land you are taking to the local municipality, county and school board,” Cashman said.

In addition to Cashman and McCain, Councilwoman Danielle Flasher said she, too, wanted to see statistics on Game Commission and Allegheny National Forest land ownership clarified before signing the letter. Council members ended up setting the letter aside for future discussions. Because Steele has only introduced a co-sponsorship memorandum, a formal bill isn’t up for consideration in the state Legislature yet. There were enough questions from council members that Wortman said it made sense to lay the letter aside until council members’ questions are resolved.

“I think what I’m going to do is we’ll re-present this, take another look at the letter and then we’ll take a look at those additional facts and make sure that we’re 100% right on that,” Wortman said. “Since it hasn’t come out of committee yet and still is in memorandum form, there’s not a huge driver. I do know that this is a big issue and weighing in before it gets much traction it might be in our best interest. So we will, if everybody’s fine with it, we’ll go ahead and we’ll table that and we’ll look some of the facts in the letter and then give it another crack.”

Steels says the Game Commission needs to be able to provide more Pennsylvanians with access to green space closer to home. While there are local concerns about the Game Commission’s growing portfolio of conserved land, Steele said in her memorandum that it needs to be easier for the Game Commission to add land.

“The Pennsylvania Game Commission purchases land to preserve local water and air quality, mitigate flood risks, protect wildlife, and make game lands more accessible to the public,” Steele said in her co-sponsorship memorandum. “Unfortunately, current Pennsylvania law serves as a barrier to success when the game commission seeks to acquire land.”