October 27, 2020
OPINION by BRENT BURCHETT
You guys actually appear to hate your farmers and ranchers right here.
Coming to California from Kentucky a yr and a half in the past, the one factor I actually knew about California was its world-renown ag business. Sadly, my time right here has taught me that the majority of our city neighbors don’t perceive what it takes for right this moment’s farm and ranch households to supply meals, and if Prop 15 passes, the plight of agriculture will get loads worse.
What state imposes the best common property tax burden on farmers and ranchers? Sadly, relating to taxes and rules, you’ll often be proper guessing California each time—and on this election, California voters are being requested to double-down on this state’s high-tax popularity by approving Proposition 15.
The measure on the Nov. 3 poll would weaken Proposition 13, the 1978 tax-reform measure that limits property tax will increase, by establishing a “split-roll” tax that may reassess business and industrial property, together with agricultural services.
Possibly there’s nothing sure however loss of life and taxes, however voters must be conscious: Creating a brand new split-roll tax with Proposition 15 would end result within the largest property tax enhance in state historical past—and would seemingly imply the top for extra California farms. This $11.5 billion tax enhance on California companies would come at a time when California farms, ranches and agricultural companies may lose as much as $8.6 billion this yr alone resulting from COVID-19.
Particular-interest teams and unions have been strategizing to roll again Proposition 13 property tax protections for 40 years. The final try got here in 2015, when Gov. Jerry Brown acknowledged a split-roll property tax scheme was overly advanced and said, “I’m not supporting a break up roll.”
Backers of Proposition 15 have tried to assert it exempts agriculture and should actually have a few of our fellow farmers believing that. However make no mistake: Agriculture is just not exempt.
Granted, the initiative says it exempts agricultural land—however it will increase taxes on what is taken into account “actual property,” equivalent to enhancements or fixtures. Even state Lawyer Normal Xavier Becerra, within the initiative’s poll abstract, acknowledges that solely agricultural lands could be protected against tax will increase.
So, what property could be reassessed? Enhancements and fixtures chargeable for tax will increase would come with barns; mature fruit and nut timber; producing vineyards; wineries; irrigation techniques; even photo voltaic panels. You would additionally add dairy barns, processing services, equipment garages, crush services and hen homes—all thought-about business and industrial property below the measure—to the listing of property that may be reassessed.
By the best way, this isn’t simply the opinion of Farm Bureau and different opponents. Backers of Proposition 15 acknowledged as a lot in an “Agricultural Land Truth Sheet” they distributed final February.
Proposition 15 would severely undermine the big investments farms and ranches have made so as to add worth to our commodities. In different phrases, the enhancements farmers and ranchers have made within the final 40 years, whether or not for product marketability or environmental stewardship, could be uncovered to a property tax hike below Proposition 15.
SLO County Assessor Tom Bordonaro has printed a Prop 15 Influence Report on the County Assessor’s website that confirms how our native farm and ranch households can be harmed if Prop 15 passes.
Final week, Assessor Bordonaro was a part of a coalition introduced collectively by our SLO County Farm Bureau at Tom Ikeda’s avocado grove in Arroyo Grande to tell native media retailers about Prop 15. Our staff included SLO County Cattlemen’s Affiliation President Anthony Stornetta, South County Chambers of Commerce President/CEO Jocelyn Brennan and SLO Chamber President/CEO Jim Dantona. You may watch a video from the occasion on our Fb web page here. Please share this video and assist educate our neighbors in regards to the risks of Prop 15.
The worst a part of any tax is the core intention to govern and/or management human habits; it’s this oblique value of a tax that may finally be probably the most damaging. Proposition 15 would create a robust incentive for native governments striving to maximise property tax revenues to rezone agricultural land to business and industrial property and deny variances for agricultural use of the land in that rezoned space.
The proponents concede, “If vacant land is zoned business and industrial, it might be reassessed.” This is able to enhance the already highly effective incentives to take away land from agricultural use and intensify land use choices made solely on tax income potential.
In line with the U.S. Census of Agriculture, a median California farmer’s or rancher’s annual property tax invoice totals $17,299—probably the most of any state. Proposition 15 and its proposed property tax will increase wouldn’t solely make California agriculture much less aggressive—it will make our farms and ranches much less viable.
Confusion over Prop 15’s implications for small companies and the agriculture business continues, as proponents falsely declare that the brand new regulation will solely have an effect on “giant companies.” When you’ve got pals who’re nonetheless believing the hype on Prop 15’s “exemptions for agriculture and small companies” right here’s the reality:
Prop 15 has incorporates two separate taxation parts:
What’s known as “actual property” – that is the land, enhancements (barns) and fixtures (irrigation gear). The take a look at offered by Proposition 15 is that fair-market worth reassessment can be triggered if a property proprietor has a valuation of greater than $3 million. The variety of staff is irrelevant relating to the reassessment provisions of the initiative.
The second is “tangible enterprise property”, or enterprise private property (phrases are used interchangeably). Tangible enterprise property is workplace gear – desks, chairs, fax machines, computer systems, telephones, and many others.
The “small enterprise exemption” solely applies to tangible enterprise property, not real-property. In different phrases, an exemption is created just for my workplace gear however not the soil of my farm, or my barn, or my grapes. If a enterprise qualifies as a “small enterprise” as outlined by the initiative, the small enterprise is exempt from paying any private property taxes.
The issue is a small enterprise should meet all of the parts of a three-pronged take a look at, being:
- Fewer than 50 annual full time equal staff;
- Enterprise should be independently owned and operated such that the enterprise is just not topic to manage by an out of doors sources or particular person;
- Enterprise owns actual property situated in California.
The reality is that only a few companies would qualify for the exemption as a result of greater than 75% of companies lease the property – they don’t personal the constructing and subsequently don’t qualify for the exemption. The variety of the workers solely issues for workplace gear and doesn’t stop any enterprise, farm or industrial property from triggering the fair-market worth reassessment by Prop 15.
The declare that enterprise with fewer than 50 staff gained’t be impacted by Prop 15 is a whole fabrication meant to additional deceive the voters of San Luis Obispo County as to the true impacts of this initiative. The particular pursuits behind Prop 15 have lied in regards to the impacts on our farmers and ranchers, lie in regards to the impacts this may have on our companies, and are mendacity to all Californians. Learn the total textual content of the proposed regulation from the California Secretary of State here.
Guarantee a brighter future for California agriculture, be part of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau, SLO County Cattlemen’s Affiliation, County Assessor Tom Bordonaro, and our native enterprise leaders in voting no on Proposition 15!
Brent Burchett is the manager director of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau and will be reached at bburchett@slofarmbureau.org. Click here for extra info on Farm Bureau’s opposition to Prop 15.
