IF YOU LIVE IN WA. THIS EFFECTS YOU !!

[Admin]

The Washington State Department of Revenue is considering rule changes that could keep horse boarding, training, and riding farms from qualifying as Farm and Agricultural land under the Open Space Taxation Act.

What It Means: Washington horse farms face big tax increases that will push more horse farm owners to sell their farms to developers.
How this impacts YOU:

Farm Owners -- Face big tax increases, not only for future taxes but even demands to pay huge tax bills for up to seven prior years!

Riders, Boarders, Students -- Face increased boarding costs as farm owners must pass the cost of higher taxes on to you. You may lose boarding and riding facilities as more are sold for development.

Open Space Advocates -- More open spaces will disappear. We all will lose islands of natural beauty in our increasingly urban environment.

Suppliers to the Equine Community -- Incomes and livelihoods depend on a thriving equestrian community.

What you can do:

Sign our petition -- you can sign the online petition

savewashingtonhorsefarms.org/

[cutiepiepmu]

This is REALLY REALLY important all - If you own more than 3 acres(I believe) you fall into this designation!!! Depending on how your property is assessed, your taxes may DOUBLE!!!

[toeps]

signed

[paintedlady]

Nov 4, 2008 14:37:08 GMT -5 toeps said:

signed

Me too !!

[barbpurple]

i have signed also i might be moving back up to wa someday and dont relish the thought might to pay more taxes for to be able to keep our lands with the hores on it.. barbpurple

[highcountry]

I will be attending the meeting tomorrow in Olympia. They have added a second meeting at 1:30 pm because the 10 am meeting is full. If you would like to attend the meeting tomorrow at 1:30 pm, call Marilou Rickert at 360-570-6115.

I will be driving down from the Everett area. If you would like to join me, please call me at 360-658-5525.

[highcountry]

Additional information-

If you would like to attend this meeting contact Marilou Rickert at 360-570-6115. Written comments may be provided at the meeting or sent to Marilou Rickert at [e-mail]

[wildwoman]

For years, horse farms in King County and elsewhere in Washington have been granted agricultural use classification for property tax purposes so long as the farms were engaged in commercial equestrian activities such as boarding and training. Beginning in early 2008, however, tax officials began insisting that farm owners breed their horses to qualify for agricultural use classification. This narrow and unwarranted interpretation of "agricultural use" threatens the economic viability of many horse farms which raise, maintain or train horses, but do not engage in breeding activities.

Washington voters approved current use taxation for open space and farmlands in 1968 to help preserve open space and agricultural land from urban development. Requiring breeding to qualify for agricultural use does not serve this goal. Breeding does not use open space or preserve agricultural land. For many farm animals, breeding is best handled by specialists. For horses in particular, requiring breeding simply encourages irresponsible over breeding. This arbitrary and destructive breeding requirement does not promote commercially viable agriculture. It does not preserve open space or agricultural lands. It simply erects an unwarranted barrier to qualifying farms for current use taxation.

Horse farms -- including those which board and train horses but do not necessarily breed -- preserve agricultural land. They support the agricultural infrastructure. They benefit the environment and the community well-being by preserving tracts of open pasture. But many of these farms need the agricultural land classification to survive economically. The Save Our Farms Coalition is committed to achieving this goal.

[wildwoman]

OMG in this day and age-requiring BREEDING to qualify for tax shelter status is COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE.