A request from the Huron County and Ontario Federations of Agriculture to have the county lower the tax ratio on farm land has been referred to county staff.
Huron County Warden, Jim Ginn explains that the value of farm property has gone up significantly in the last few years, so farmers are carrying a larger part of the tax burden.
“So they have asked us to cut the percentage tax rate on farms from 25% down to 22% to keep them from paying continuously more in taxes. So that can come back to county council and we'll see what the decision is,” said Ginn.
It was pointed out during the discussion that if the rate is lowered on farmland it has to go up somewhere else and that would likely be on residential and some councillors felt that wouldn't be fair to homeowners.
Ginn says another concern for him is that MPAC reviews their numbers every four years and the new set of numbers will be released in a few months.
“We're only a few months away from knowing what the new numbers are, so personally I would like to see what those new numbers are. I think the price of housing has went up substantially and that will lower the tax burden on farmland, so I'd like to see those numbers first, personally,” added Ginn.
The request has been referred to staff for a report that will come back to council.
