WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is pleased to announce that the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) says it will reimburse the Loring Development Authority (LDA) $144,588 for necessary emergency and maintenance services in conjunction with DFAS’s occupancy of LDA property in Limestone.
“I am pleased that this long-standing matter has reached a satisfactory conclusion,” said Senator Collins. “This money will help the Loring Development Authority cover the costs of snowplowing and other maintenance of necessary infrastructure that is crucial to ensuring the cost-effective operation of the Limestone property.”
Senator Collins has been working to settle an ongoing dispute between LDA and DFAS since 2003. The dispute began when DFAS stopped paying an annual payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) fee to reimburse the LDA for services such as snow removal, emergency services, and road maintenance. At that time, DFAS had determined that its payments constituted a tax, from which the federal government is immune.
Last month, Senator Collins visited DFAS-Limestone with Anthony Principi, former Veterans’ Secretary and Chairman of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. During that visit, Senator Collins discussed the PILOT fee issue with DFAS-Limestone Director, Zack Gaddy, and urged both parties to work together to bring this long-standing matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
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