It’s a great day for Wisconsin farmers as the provision to change the definition of agricultural land for property tax purposes has been removed from the state budget package that the State Senate approved last night.
“We could not be happier to see this item removed from the budget package that the Legislature’s Conference Committee approved yesterday (Thursday, June 25),” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Bill Bruins. “The provision would have resulted in a drastic spike in property taxes on nearly one million acres of farmland across our state,”
“Farm Bureau wishes to thank a group of key lawmakers who worked hard to see that farm families were not punished by this provision,” Bruins said. “State Senator Kathleen Vinehout proved to be an invaluable friend to agriculture throughout this process in the State Senate. On the Assembly side, Speaker Mike Sheridan, Conference Committee member State Rep. Mary Hubler and a coalition of rural Assembly Democrats led by State Representative Amy Sue Vruwink, all showed great leadership for rural Wisconsin.”
“We’re also very proud of the many Farm Bureau members and other ag supporters from across the state who took the time to voice their concern about this provision by contacting their legislators and Governor Doyle’s office,” Bruins said.
“Supposedly this provision was meant to take aim at developers, but instead it shot a hole through the long-term viability of our state’s agricultural economy and any hopes of slowing the loss of farmland,” Bruins said.
Specifically, the budget provision would have changed the definition of ag land for property tax purposes by making any land that is platted or zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use, ineligible for use value assessment. This removed the benefit of use value for nearly 250,000 acres of farmland within village and city limits, and another roughly 750,000 acres of farmland zoned as rural or ag residential by town and county governments. The property tax hike on farms impacted by this change would have been the largest in state history.
“Since its full implementation in 2000, use value assessment has been the strongest tool we have to promote a thriving agriculture industry and keep farmland in production,” Bruins said.
The State Assembly is expected to pass the same version of the state budget.
