Taxes
GUARDIAN Saves Taxpayers $49,000
June 15, 2007 
After the GUARDIAN questioned the propriety of Agricultural tax exemptions on land at the corner of Linder and Chinden in a posting by “Taxpayer Murphy,” Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade made adjustments to the tax status of the land.
The changes came after appraisers looked at the land and the use.
McQuade said his office is planning to reschedule the dates for field trips to determine agricultural uses, probably in summer and fall when any crops would be apparent.
He told the GUARDIAN changes in status resulted in 2 exemptions being
jerked and 2 being left the the same. Based on current levy information, lifting the exemptions will mean the other taxpayers in Ada county will pay $49,000 less.
“This is a good example of why all our records are public,” said McQuade. “When it is out there for people to examine and question, we all benefit.”
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jun 15, 2007, 5:20 pm
Way to go! I don’t always agree (although I do most of the time), but you get things done! I say thank you.
Jun 15, 2007, 5:56 pm
That’s really amazing, and encouraging.
Keep it up!
Jun 16, 2007, 8:51 am
Way to go, Guardian!
Readers, spotted any other bogus ag exemptions out there? If so, let the Tax Assessor’s office know. This affects ALL of us.
If ag land is bought for development purposes and is no longer being farmed for real, it needs to be reclassified for tax purposes. Close these loopholes. In fact, I feel that if such prpoerties have been sold to developers who have active or approved applications before the City or County, they need to be reclassified, whether or not the developer has run a harrow over them or turned out a few cattle for show.
Jun 16, 2007, 3:11 pm
When I commented about this post to a neighbor who works for HP, he told me that HP has some of their property planted in alfalfa in order to get the Ag exemption. Hmmmm.
Jun 17, 2007, 8:17 am
Mr. Guardian… good job
But the sad thing is that our county officials will figure out a way to waste this money… as they always do!
EDITOR NOTE–To be clear. It is not NEW money. It just means the rest of us don’t have to come up with $49,000. Small saving overall, but the developer is now paying his share.
Jun 17, 2007, 10:02 am
If the farm ground is raising a crop of alfalfa and whether it is owned by Farmer John, Jack Simplot or HP doesnt matter. It is ground being used for ag purposes. I commend HP for being good stewards of their land and not raising a great crop of weeds like some of our city and other governmental bare ground is doing.
Jun 17, 2007, 2:28 pm
Yes, Idahokid. These developers would be smart to lease out their property to sharecroppers and use the property as agricultural until the time they actually want to develop. Guess HP got smart early on.
Jun 18, 2007, 2:40 pm
What The Guardian actually did here was demonstrate to the average taxpayer how easy it is to hold the bureaucrats to exactly what their suppposed to do ( save the citizens as much money as possible) instead of doing a slip-shod job. Way to go guardian!
Jun 19, 2007, 3:22 pm
Mr. McQuade is only giving you lip service on date and records! Ask him for the details on the exact “comparibles” that they use to raise your property taxes 30+%. They CANNOT find the exact data!!
We called and asked for it on our Boise property and they had to admit that they “just use averages” and there is NO ACTUAL DATA THAT POINTS TO ANY EXACT COMPARISON OF ONE PROPERTY TO ANOTHER”. What a joke.
It is time for Prop 13!!! NOW!!
Jun 20, 2007, 4:13 pm
Public records are public so that we can view and, if necessary, question McQuade’s decisions and actions… not so that we can do McQuade’s job for him while he continues to collect a salary. Think about it.