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Via Sun columnist Jon Ralston, the AP reports that the Elko County assessor felt pressured into giving Gov. Jim Gibbons a property tax break on some unoccupied land the governor owns up north.
Money quotes from the story:
Gibbons spokesman Ben Kieckhefer called any suggestion of intimidation or criticism of the cattle grazing deferral "ridiculous" and said the governor's property had been grazing land for years, and still is.
He described the legal transaction as "regular" and said there was a lease agreement between the former owner and the governor showing it would be used for grazing.
"I don't think there's any question," Kieckhefer said.
"This land has been used for this purpose and had this exemption for as far as anyone can remember," he said. "There's no house on it. There's no power on it. There's cattle on it."
Nevada allows agricultural property tax breaks to help farmers and ranchers who eke out a living from the state's harsh landscape. In the early 1990s, the Legislature, concerned that people wealthy enough to buy elbow room were taking advantage of the agricultural deferment, raised the annual farming income threshold on tax-deferred land to require they take in at least $5,000 from agricultural uses. Previously only $1,500 a year was required.
Was there a paragraph chopped off at the end of the story that might have revealed what Gibbons' income is off the land?? Might make the story a lil more complete....
Here's the AP's estimate:
"Grazing land lease rates range from $1.35 to $20 per animal unit month, meaning that if Gibbons' 40 acres could support a cow, the going rate would be $240 a year on the high end, about $500 if it supported two cows."
It also notes he paid $575,000 for the parcel last August.
Yeah...got the full AP story on RGJ...the Assessor appears 100% correct in that there's no way Gibbons can claim $5,000 annual farm income from 40 acres therefore HE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE TAX DEDUCTION. While Gibbons orders severe cuts to state services as required by law, he turns around and finds a way to not pay his own taxes. We all had deep doubts about this governor. And we had NO idea how horribly right we were.
This governor can pretty this anyway he wants to lie about it -
what is it is stealing from the State of Nevada.
What a great example he sets ...... for our prison population.
He is a liar and a cheat.
The Assesor is worthless.
He states he approved of the exemption but did not think it should be approved.
Looks like he did not do his job.
The assessor did not "approve" the exemption. Reading is fundamental, Nance.
Not a surprise that your hero is a tax cheat, as well.
LET'S TREAT THIS AS A "HOW TO LOWER YOUR TAXES" EDUCATION EXERCISE FROM GOVN'R JIM:
1) THREE FRIENDS OR NEIGHBORS ON YOUR 1/3 OR 1/2 OR 1 ACRE $575,000 "RETIREMENT HOME" LOTS START RAISING 2 AGRICULTURAL RABBITS.
2) NEIGHBOR 1 LEASES HIS "STUD BUNNY" TO NEIGHBOR 2 FOR AN ANNUAL $5,000 AGRICULTURAL "STUD FEE SERVICE" CHARGE.
3) NEIGHBOR 2 PROVIDES HIS AGRICULTURALLY IMPREGNATED "BLUE RIBBON BUNNY" TO NEIGHBOR 3 FOR A $5,000 LEASE FEE TO RAISE UNTIL "BANNER BABY BUNNIES" ARE BORN IN HIS "HONEY BUNNY SHED."
4) NEIGHBOR 3 NOW PROVIDES A COUPLE "LITTER BUNNIES" AND A $5,000 ANNUAL LEASE FEE FOR NEIGHBOR 1 TO RAISE NEWEST "HONEY BUNNIES" INTO FUTURE "STUD BUNNIES" AND "HAREM BUNNIES" THAT WILL BECOME "BLUE RIBBON BUNNIES."
5) ALL THREE NEIGHBORS NOW TAKE THEIR PROOF OF AGRICULTURAL USE AND PROOF OF $5,000 ANNUAL LEASE PAYMENT EARNINGS TO THEIR LOCAL TAX ASSESSOR.
6) TAX ASSESSOR SAYS THIS MEETS ALL THE GOVERNOR JIM PROPERTY TAX REQUIREMENTS AND ALL WILL BE TREATED EQUAL--$15.00 TAX!
GOT IT??
REPEAT EVERY YEAR AS NEEDED.
WHAT WORKS FOR GOVN'R JIM, OUGHT TO WORK FOR YOU!