MO Senate rejects increased agricultural land taxes
From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Lobbyist Money Help  

MO Senate rejects increased agricultural land taxes

Date: March 1, 2012
By: Mary McGuire
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HCR8

Intro: 
The Senate has beat their weekend deadline and voted to kill increased property tax legislation for Missouri farmers in a 19-8 vote on Thursday.
RunTime:  0:48
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missouri lawmakers passed a resolution which rejects the Missouri State Tax Commission proposal to increase the amount of farms that could be taxed for their yield.

Republican Senator Brian Munzlinger of rural Williamstown sponsored the resolution. 

Actuality:  MUNZ4.WAV
Run Time:  00:21
Description: "Following 2011, where we had multiple disasters out there in Ag Country...with floods, drought, straight winds, tornadoes...everything that really made 2011, especially for me, not a very good year. I personally didn't think it was a good time to be raising the taxes."

There was opposition from Republican Senator Jim Lembke of Saint Louis County, who said it was unfair that farmers have not seen a tax increase in 15 years.

Actuality:  LEMBKE6.WAV
Run Time:  00:01
Description: "We're looking for a little equity."

 Reporting from the Capital, I'm Mary McGuire.

Intro: 
Legislation that would increase property taxes on agricultural property was killed by the Missouri Senate in a 19-8 vote Thursday.
RunTime:  0:44
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Lawmakers voted against legislation that would have increased taxes for Missouri farmers.

Democratic Senator Tim Green of Saint Louis County was in favor of the increased agricultural taxes.

He said a lack of farmland tax places an unfair burden on schools in his district, whose state funding is based on local property tax.

Actuality:  GREEN1.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: "The idea that because we are from the urban area, that we can afford assessment to ourselves to help fund our schools is not a fair, not using the pun, but assessment."
 
Republican Senator Brian Munzlinger of Williamstown sponsored the resolution.
 
He said tax increases for farmers who faced natural disasters in 2011 is unfair.

Reporting from the State Capital, I'm Mary McGuire.