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tax incentives aimed at preserving agricultural land must be coupled with tight zoning. “There’s no way we're going to be able to buy our way out of this problem!” he maintained.
“Nothing's going to be perfect but if it (land use) helps half way, it will be worth it,” H. B. Wood interjected.
Using figures front the U: S. Department df Agriculture’s farm census report, Luke noted that land use taxation—as well as the supervisors’ earlier move to eliminate levies on livestock and farm machinery—will benefit 266 county farmers.
Diana Bird countered that the definition used by the Department of Agriculture to count Rappahannock’s farmers is intended to encourage agribusiness. “A farmer shouldn’t be disqualified because his wife works as a school teacher or a real estate agent!" she insisted.
Asked if he thought allowing land use only to qualifying farmers in agricultural districts would create a “bureaucratic morass,” Luke answered that he didn’t think so. The planning commission and board of supervisors will only have to meet more often, he said. Luke added that no one complained about bureaucracy when the agricultural advisory committee was set up to consider the first ag district application last year.
In answer to another question. Luke said he thought the supervisors would have to reconsider earlier action to drop taxes on farm machinery and livestock if land use is adopted in order to assess the entire tax picture. Repeatedly, he maintained that neighboring Madison County is feeling the effects of the tax shift from land use adopted three years ago and is now considering abandoning the program because of opposition from property owners. (According to the commissioner of revenue in Madison, that county went to land use taxation the same year that a 100 percent fair market value assessment was implemented with a tax rate of 50 cents per $100. In 1979, the rate went up to 55 cents and has remained at that level since, a ten percent increase.)
With half the audience getting up to leave and the other half engaging in private debates and conversations, as the meeting dragged past 10 p.m., Luke declared the public hearing over.
The supervisors plan to vote on the proposed use value taxation ordinance at their June 1 meeting.
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