There are many unresolved issues regarding the Agriculture Property Tax/Green Acres program.
I have been working with the Green Acres issue for the past year and a half. During this time, I have worked with all the Winona-area legislators: Sens. Sharon Erickson Ropes and Steve Murphy, and Reps. Steve Drazkowski, Gene Pelowski, and Greg Davids. All of them have been willing to listen to concerns raised by myself and others, and have been working to correct the problems caused by the changes made in 2008 and 2009 to the Green Acres program. These legislators are also aware of the agriculture property tax issues. They are trying to find solutions, but this is very difficult considering the current high deficit the state of Minnesota is in.
Steve Hacken, Winona County assesor, has been working hard for the farmers also. He has achieved reducing the Green Acres, (Rural Reserve), wooded acres from $1,700 per acre to $850 per acre. I feel he deserves a lot of credit and thanks for standing up for farmers.
I have found it very easy to contact all of these people. When I have had to leave messages for any of them, they have responded with a return call in a timely manner.
Sen. Erickson Ropes is hosting a meeting on agriculture property tax change on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Southeast Technical College Student Center, 1250 Homer Road, in Winona. This meeting is an opportunity for you to come voice your concerns.
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I thank all of them for their hard work and the time they have put into working on these issues.
Bob Marg
Altura
