Appomattox land owners support tax ordinance in hearing

By Sarah Watson

Published: June 2, 2008

APPOMATTOX — More than 200 people in Appomattox County turned out for a public hearing Monday on a proposed land use tax ordinance.

The ordinance, similar to those in most surrounding counties, would give property owners with specific amounts of productive agricultural land lower real estate tax rates.

Appomattox land owners recently saw their property values skyrocket after the county’s first reassessment in six years. Some land owners saw property value increases of several hundred percent and, despite a nominal tax rate change, this year’s bills are much higher.

“Last year I paid over $1,400 in taxes for the whole year,” Sadie Wooding said. “Then I got a bill for six months and it’s over $1,500.”

Appomattox County “ought to do something for farmers who are trying to farm,” said Sam Hunter, who owns farmland in the county. “They can’t afford these rates.”

Most of the 23 people who spoke at the hearing said they wanted the county to be fair to taxpayers.

Nobody wants taxes to increase, said Dennis Torrence. “But it’s not fair for 30 percent of the people to pay for 70 percent of the taxes.”

“I think sometimes … we forget the difference between getting treated equally or treated fairly,” said Brad Babcock. “I think the important thing is you try to treat everybody fairly and that’s why I support the land use (ordinance).”

Of the more than 200 people at the hearing, only about five stood up to show disapproval for the ordinance.

“How is it beneficial and fair to all county taxpayers for county officials to reward those citizens with large tracts of land with a reduction on their land values and a tax break for simply having large tracts of land?” asked town of Appomattox resident Barbara Shelton.

For landowners to participate under the proposed ordinance, they must have at least five acres of agricultural land or 20 acres of forestry land that earns a specific amount of return. The ordinance would not be retroactive for this year’s tax bill and wouldn’t become active until 2009. Supervisors are expected to vote on the issue June 16.

The financial impact of enacting a land use ordinance in a primarily agricultural county is not yet known and officials are trying to search the county’s computer system to figure out what properties might be eligible and how that could affect future tax rates, County Administrator Aileen Ferguson said. That information will likely be known by the time supervisors vote on the measure.

Some of those who spoke expressed concern that if the county does not adopt the ordinance, which has been proposed several times, farmers would sell their land because they couldn’t afford the taxes.

“If farmers get so they can’t make a product here to sell and have a steady tax, we’re going to fall into the same thing as we are on gas and fossil fuels,” said Jack Wayne Berks.

Micki Caifano moved to Appomattox County a few months ago from New York and warned the board that this year’s tax increases could signal the beginning of much more residential and commercial growth.

“Trust me, this is where it starts,” she said. “When you reassess people 300 percent higher, it doesn’t stop.”