A significant agricultural land tax rebate approved by the Montezuma County commissioners in July has been denied by the Colorado Division of Property Taxation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ag values have to back to where they were,\u201d said county assessor Scott Davis. \u201cThey reversed the commissioners\u2019s decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
In July, the commissioners heard from farmers upset by assessed agricultural land values that in some cases more than doubled from 2014.<\/p>\n
In their role as the Board of Equalization for the county, the commissioners approved a blanket abatement that capped the increase at 22 percent.<\/p>\n
County commissioners said they wanted to challenge the state assessment of local ag land, and said it was unfairly weighted by areas that have higher crop value than Montezuma County.<\/p>\n
But Davis said the state property taxation board disagreed with the county\u2019s attempt to drop local land taxes by such a large margin, which included a 92 percent cut for flood irrigated land, and 86.6 percent cut for sprinkler irrigated land, and 65.2 percent cut for dry farmland.<\/p>\n
Adjustments in local land valuations by the county that are greater than five percent are reviewed by the State board of Equalization.<\/p>\n
\u201cI presented our case, but it fell on deaf ears,\u201d said county commissioner Keenan Ertel. \u201cSome years (the valuations) are more in our favor, and others not so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davis said the sudden increase is attributed to the way land values are calculated by the state based on a 10-year average of crop production values.<\/p>\n
Every year, the two oldest years are dropped off, and the two recent years are added on to calculate the property tax rate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last two years we saw good production value for hay and wheat, and that bumped up the average,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n
Goodman Point farmer Steve Chappell said his 93 percent tax increase does not correspond to his fluctuating production numbers and shifting commodity prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo get this increase was shocking,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It was suggested that farmers could organize and submit a class-action protest against the increase.<\/p>\n
The commissioners were not surprised their tax relief maneuver was denied, but said they wanted to send a message.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we raise our voices loud enough to let them know in Denver that they are not treating us fairly,\u201d said commissioner Larry Don Suckla.<\/p>\n