Farmers Forum on Tax Valuations
Key Takeaways
- Farmers demand fair property tax valuations that reflect agricultural use
- Advocates call for assessment reforms to prevent displacement of family farms
- Communities urged to adopt policies that preserve agricultural viability
HARTFORD - Yesterday, Rep. Mark Anderson joined fellow lawmakers, farmers, and advocates to discuss how we can keep farmland valuations fair and equitable. This forum was held in response to proposed tax increases on farmers, but changes that have since been temporarily reversed. More than 20,000 members of the public signed a petition opposing these increases, a powerful testament to the impact of your voices.
Rep. Anderson had anticipated this issue by putting forward a legislative proposal in January to keep farmland valuations stable and to reverse a previously proposed change that would have doubled tax valuations on forest lands. Anderson believes we must be proactive in lowering the overall cost of living, which is why getting this fix across the finish line in the upcoming session is so important.
Finally, the forum would not have been successful without the participation of those who own, operate, or work on farms. Shannon Chatfield shared her perspective, and you can review her comments in this post.
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