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Supervisors
From Page A1
and less like a commercial winery.
Kellert said that Rappahannock is the only county that he has heard of which places such a tax on farm wineries.
He added that in other areas that attempted to implement similar taxes, such legislation was found to be in conflict with state law. He cited Green County as an example. One local winery there spoke up when local taxes were considered. They sent their concerns to the Attorney General who sided on their behalf, stating that Virginia law does not allow a local tax on farm wineries.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Peter Luke explained that the law says local taxes can be placed on wineries and distilleries unless they are mentioned in a later code which states monetary limits on certain taxes. In this code a limit is set for what can be charged for a brewery and regular winery. However farm wineries are not mentioned.
Luke said that he took this to mean that there was no limit on the amount of tax on such an establishment. He said that the Attorney General however, had apparently interpreted this absence to mean that no tax could be placed on a farm winery.
Luke also noted that he has not seen anything about the Green County case.
The topic brought about contention among board members. Bob Anderson said that he had voted against the tax for this very reason when they had initially discussed it. He feels that it is not fair to tax one form of agriculture and not others.
Board Member Roger Welch felt differently saying, “There is a big difference between selling alcoholic beverages and selling a bushel of hay.”
The board decided that a final decision will be made at its September meeting.
Rural historic
districts
In another matter, Bob
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