Reassessment Has Somerset Farmers Looking At Options GAY BROWNLEE Somerset Co. Correspondent MEYERSDALE (Somerset Co.) The second of five infor mational meetings covering the topic of Farmland Reassessment in Somerset County found about 60 persons converging into the forum room of the Meyersdale elementary school, eager for any good news that can help them cut their real estate taxes. Shortly after the beginning of the new year, property owners in the county will be notified of their real property assessments, a pro cess which began in 1995. The last one was done in 1974. “There is a lot of misunder standing and this series of meet ings is something we are having around the county, so that next spring you can make some in formed decisions,” said Bob Brown, director of the county ex tension service in Somerset. “Clean and Green and Farm land Preservation are not the same thing,” he stated. “With Clean and Green you keep complete control over your land.” The landowners, however, by meeting’s end seemed still uncer tain that Clean and Green Act 319 The Pennsylvania Farm land and Assessment Act of 1974 would achieve the right end if they applied and were found eligi ble. Talking among themselves several said outright that they will probably just pay the higher taxes and be done with it. What the landowners viewed as a sticking point in the Act’s three “Use-value Assessment” categor ies was the criteria listed in that of “Agricultural Reserve.” Sandwiched between Agricul tural Use and Forest Reserve, the ONLY! Per $27.50 Year Two $53.00 years In PA. NJ. OH. MD, DE. NY, VA & WV (Other Areas $37 Per Year or $73 00 Tor Two Years) LANCASTER FARMING WILL SEND A GIFT CARD ANNOUNCING THE START OF THE GIFT SUBSCRIPTION landowners found much to ponder in Agricultural Reserve five main points, especially the last three. Agricultural reserve (land th at is capable of, but not currently be ing farmed), cannot be less than 10 contiguous acres in area; it must be noncommercial; it must be open to the public and used for outdoor recreation or for enjoy ment of scenic or natural beauty; no charge or fee for using the land; no discrimination against persons using the land. “In agricultural reserve,” said John Riley, the Somerset County chief assessor, “you can’t post the land, you must keep it open to public use. Riley said that somebody at the previous meeting that some 90 persons attended at the courthouse in Somerset, raised the liability is sue if a landowner has land in ag reserve and must allow the public to use it. Riley said the farmer should be protected unless he has been negligent in some way. He did im ply, however, that there’s no guar antee against a shrewd attorney hired by a person who is involved in an incident while on that par ticular piece of acreage. Clean and Green’s positive benefits impressed dairyman Bill Yoder from Meyersdale RD who puts his dairy animals through a rotational and intensive grazing setup. “I’ll probably apply if it can save on my taxes,” he said, reflect ing on the statements made by Brown and Riley. “I want to make sure my land is fairly assessed,” he added. “This is what’s important about Clean and Green, you can save money on taxes,” said Riley add ing that getting the word out to 1 SsSyass rS'frSs-iE ;i : f:£-3-- s -ss2S£-=-- m PouHrj MwcWton tun* k* (>UK uurFuffl Bob Brown (center), director of the county extension in Somerset, answers Indivi dual questions regarding Clean and Green (Act 319). landowners of 10 or more acres that are devoted to agriculture, is necessary. June 1, 1997 is the deadline for the applications to be in. But ap plicants were and are urged to turn in their completed forms now without the final signature, to ex pedite the process before the final date. “The new assessed values are absolutely going to be higher than the current assessed values,” Riley predicted. To illustrate how assessed value and fair market value are evalu ated, Riley used an overhead projector to show a breakdown of two anonymous farms that recent ly, were sold in separate Somerset Christmas Shopping Doesn’t Get Any Easier Than This! Give The Gift That Comes Week After Week. A Subscription To l Clip And Mail This Coupon ■ With Tour Check To: I Lancaster Farming 1 P.O. Box 609 1 Bphrata, Pa. 17522 1 Name:. Address: I City:_ I State: 1 Gift Card To Read From ,1 I NEW County municipalities He said that some properties are assessed too high and others, too low, as the numbers from the two farms illustrated. “The whole purpose of re evaluation,” he said, “is to get everyone in the middle.” Following the presentation, of ficials went amongst the group to answer individual questions, an approach unlike that in Somerset Zip: I [RENEWAL I where efforts to answer questions from the front of the room were not as satisfactory. Assisting Brown and Riley were Joe Hudack from the county assessment office. He was in charge of the Clean and Green ap plications. Alan Miller, assistant chief assessor, and from appraiser Cole-Layer Trumble, David Depp project manager and Stan Sitko.
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