Comments on: Ag Exemption Right or Wrong?

By: Bryce

Bryce — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:37:59 +0000

What would it take to get something like Prop 13 on the ballot? I’m sure between Ada,Canyon, and Boise county at least 50,000 registered voters would sign a proposition to get it to ballot.

EDITOR NOTE–The problem we have in Idaho is that citizens can place it on the ballot, vote to approve it, and the legislature simply ignores the will of the people and REPEALS the citizen law. They did it the last go around and few were removed from office at the next election. The Supremes ruled the legislature can repeal ANY law. The legislature RULES. They don’t serve.

By: Greg Ruddell

Greg Ruddell — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:06:29 +0000

This is former Deputy Assessor Greg Ruddell to correct my prior comment. Further review of Ada County Assessor website, http://www.adacountyassessor.org/propsys, the assessor office took photographs of adjoining parcels on April 19th & 24th, 2007. These photographs can be located by searching parcel numbers S0425212480, R1065270120 & S0426120550. Review interactive map for parcel locations, they adjoin Murphy referenced parcel. In fact, parcel #S0425212480 indicates some type of construction and the agricultural exemption was left in place for 2007, so there appears to be two errors.

For California guy, the assessor does not furnish coffee for his employees and with their pay they can’t afford very good coffee.

EDITOR NOTE–Looks like you are probably onto something here. Thanks to the good offices of the GUARDIAN and your sleuthing, the error will probably get corrected at the courthouse and taxes on the property in question will rise as they should.

By: Sleuth

Sleuth — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 02:51:37 +0000

To “Prop 13 NOW!”–

Where do I sign up?

Sleuth

By: Prop 13 NOW!

Prop 13 NOW! — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:33:26 +0000

It is time for Prop 13 NOW! before we all have to move out because we cannot afford the tax load.

By: Rudy

Rudy — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:28:11 +0000

I agree with Gordon (comment 9.) that the appropriate response by the Ass-essor is to correct the error. Fix the problem, not fix the blame. It is clear that the staff has been working in the neighborhood, and they missed this error. Simple enough. But now it is being brought to your attention, so fix it. Duh.

By: Treva

Treva — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:58:24 +0000

We own a little rental property in Boise – it is probably 80 years old, no air conditioning, furnace probably 50 years old. The house value has declined but the value of this little .14 acre property has skyrocketed so that the taxes on it are only $87.00 less than our .29 acre property in Eagle. We have an older couple living there and we haven’t raised their rent in years because they are on a small fixed income. Unfortunately for us Ada County nows makes more money off this house than we do.

By: Yes, I'm from California - So What!

Yes, I'm from California - So What! — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:34:16 +0000

My first thought after reading this article was alienating farmers in a predominantly agricultural state – maybe not a great idea? But then, not being a farmer myself and having a second thought on this issue, you would think that farmers who revere their exemption can’t help but get a little annoyed when farmer John next door sells his land to a developer and find out that the developer maintained the Ag exemption.

Let’s also not forget, those unscrupulous land owners who plant bogus crops with no intention of farming it in order to maintain their exemption and slip under the assessor’s radar. I know on a federal level some would call this tax evasion and consider it a crime. What’s fair is fair and I’m sure most farmers agree that if land is not being used for agriculture then it shouldn’t enjoy the Ag exemption.

Maybe the assessor’s office needs to change their brand of coffee to a stronger brew and wake up. I believe, when the local news gets hold of this loop hole in the tax law, all hell is going to break loose and some heads are going to roll.

By: Yes, I'm from California - So What!

Yes, I'm from California - So What! — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:34:16 +0000

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:38:36 +0000

The entire tax system needs revision and improvement. We should do away with the property tax and sales tax as both are regressive taxes (among other objections). Tax money for legitimate services provided by government should come from taxes on income.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:20:34 +0000

Seems to me the assessor folks gave you a pretty clear answer: They looked at the land in December, when they couldn’t tell whether it was cultivated. They very carefully have avoided looking at it since (apparently driving through this busy intersection with their eyes closed?) so they wouldn’t have to admit it was not in agricultural use.
Could it be that part of the owner’s saved taxes somehow influence the ass-essor types to avoid opening their eyes as they drive by? I’m not suggesting bribery, just wondering what their snow-job excuse really means. And I noticed the assessor’s comment diidn’t say anything like, “Thanks for pointing out this error. Now that you’ve done so, we’ll raise the tax to its proper level immediately — and retroactively if possible.”
Surely you must have somehow lost that part while typing the response into this blog, right?