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As an adjunct issue, the program design promotes a balanced state-wide economy and helps to relieve economic pressures, such as real estate taxation, that might force owners to convert their properties to more population- or industrially-intensive uses.
The approval process begins with submission of the application form. Criteria for qualification and acceptance in the program are clearly defined by the law and were directly incorporated in each county’s program.
In every case, the program is administered by the county Commissioner of Revenue, who is the “local assessing officer” described in the law.
All the commissioners meet individually with farmer-applicants to discuss program requirements and to assist in filing out the applications.
Atkins stated that she personally completes the applications for the farmers to ensure accuracy and advises them individually as to what is needed for full compliance.
Atkins also stressed the importance of protecting the public from fraud or misrepresentation. She or the state forester, as appropriate, personally inspects properties to make sure that the regulations are being followed and that applications are not being falsified.
Many non-farmers feel that they are being unfairly taxed by the county and view this as a form of discrimination benefitting only farmers.
“There is a great deed of ignorance about the program and a lot of animosity from people who are not farmers,” Atkins explained. “(The nonfarmers) feel that their real estate taxes would be much lower if the land use program did not exist. They forget (the benefits that they are getting from the program).”
The county sets the tax rates for all county properties. The land use program controls the assessed value of forested and open acreage separately. In addition, assessments may be constructed with consideration for risk factors, such as flood or storm damage, added
94.7%