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OFU lauds initial tweaks to CAUV, but more is needed

June 1, 2015 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

Woodlands need more attention from state officials

Mel Borton, Ohio Farmers Union.

Mel Borton, Ohio Farmers Union.

In more than 80 years of life spent on and around Ohio’s farms, Mel Borton has seen cycles of woodlands preservation and cutting the woods on farmland.

“One sure way to remove woodlands across the state is for the real estate tax code to essentially promote chopping down trees,” said Borton.

“In my first 40 years, farmers cleared their woods as fast as they could. In my last 40 years farmers were conserving woodlands. It seems like the pendulum is swinging away from conservation and that’s a shame,” Borton added.

Mel Borton, left, talks to fellow OFU member Karen Wood at OFU's summer picnic in 2014. The Ohio Farmers Union is the second-largest general farm organization in Ohio.

Mel Borton, left, talks to fellow OFU member Karen Wood at OFU’s summer picnic in 2014. The Ohio Farmers Union is the second-largest general farm organization in Ohio.

He fears that’s exactly what Ohio’s Current Agricultural Use Valuation system for taxing farmland is doing. He and other members of the Ohio Farmers Union are pleased that the Kasich Administration began fixing CAUV this year, but many, like Borton, worry that woodland valuations are still not functioning in the way that CAUV framers intended.

Borton, a retired farmer and former lobbyist for OFU, spoke out at last Thursday’s Ohio Dept. of Taxation CAUV Advisory Committee hearing.

“I told the committee that I volunteer answering phones at our (OFU’s) state office and farmers are telling me that they are clearing their woods because of CAUV,” Borton said.

“The folks in Columbus have done some good things this year to get the wild swings in CAUV under control, but they haven’t done enough on woodlands,” Borton added.

Ted Finnarn, OFU’s resident CAUV legal expert and a member of the state’s CAUV advisory committee said that woodland values will be lower in the 2015 tax year as compared to 2014, but OFU and other ag groups need to keep the pressure on the tax department to continue reviewing woodland valuations and the capitalization-interest rate.

“I think the Tax Department is moving in the right direction, but much more needs to be done to come up with CAUV values that are more reasonable,” Finnarn said.

Finnarn, a Greenville attorney, has been on the advisory committee since its inception in the 1970s. The committee met last week to hear public comment and to release the 2015 valuations for CAUV.

Ohio Tax Commissioner Joe Testa said his department has heard and responded to concerns about CAUV.

“I am certainly aware that there are some farmers and farm land owners facing tax increases but believe the factors impacting land values are moving in a favorable direction for the agriculture industry in Ohio,” Testa said.

“The CAUV remains a very valuable program for Ohio’s farmers which results in
significant property tax reductions when compared to land not being used in agriculture,” he added.

Testa said the values released last week affect the 24 counties in this year’s triennial CAUV re-valuation rotation.  According to the department, the average CAUV per acre in 2015 in Ohio is $1,388, which is 17 percent less than the 2014 valuation of $1,668.

The department made changes, as suggested by the Ohio Farmers Union and Ohio Farm Bureau earlier this year.

On behalf of OFU, Finnarn worked closely with the Farm Bureau and others across the state for more than two years as CAUV values began to wildly fluctuate.  Among the recent changes, Finnarn points out the following differences between the 2015 tax year and previous years:

  • Modifications to the Capitalization-Interest Rate by going to a longer term fixed rate with an 80% loan-20% equity split versus the previous more restrictive 60% loan-40% equity calculation.  This will have the effect of lowering CAUV values from the originally proposed values.
  • Correction to woodland values by updating and increasing the costs of clearing from $500 to $1,000 and increasing sub-surface drainage to $770 and surface drainage to $380.  Woodland values will be lower for 2015 as compared to 2014.
  • Improving the accuracy of input data in regards to crop prices and cost data by bringing it more current in regards to crop production yields, crop price values and costs.  Inputs from the Ohio State University crop enterprise budget for 2015 were put into the formula so that this represents no lag time.  These costs have increased – lowering the CAUV values from the original proposal.

Finnarn said some values are still increasing from the 2012 values, but not as much as they would have without the changes. Values will not change for the 41 counties that underwent their reappraisals and reevaluations for tax year 2014 (increased taxes paid in 2015).  However, these counties will benefit from the changes in the future when they recycle for reevaluations in three years in tax year 2017.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: CAUV, Current Agricultural Use Value, Joe Testa, John Kasich, Mel Borton, Ohio, Taxes, Woodlands

Photos from a Busy Day at Statehouse for Ohio Farmers Union

March 22, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

ofuinactionIn the photo above, State Sen. Robert Hagan talks to Ohio Farmers Union members at the Statehouse last Wednesday about the state of fracking regulation and his proposal to raise the state’s severance tax. Hagan’s proposal calls for a 7.5 percent “frack tax” which is still well below other gas and oil producing states such as Oklahoma and Texas. Gov. John Kasich’s most recent proposal would raise the severance tax on fracked oil and gas to 2.5 percent – and put a good portion of the revenue into a state income tax cut that would primarily benefit upper income earners.

BurkleyAbove, State Rep. Tony Burkley discusses state budget issues and S.B. 150 the nutrient management bill pending in the House Agriculture Committee. L-R: Burkley, at desk; Sue Culver; Fred Culver; Jeff Navarre and Joe Logan.

GreenAbove, OFU members with State Rep. Doug Green after a discussion of agricultural nutrient management. L-R: Keith Lenz; Diane Adams; Roger Wise; Green; Bill Pritchard.

hallofc

OFU President Joe Logan makes a point in the office of House Ag Committee Chairman Dave Hall. R-L: Logan; Mel Borton; Linda Borton; Sue Culver; Fred Culver.

State Rep. Nickie Antonio is working with Sen. Hagan on many issues related to fracking and severance taxes in Ohio.

State Rep. Nickie Antonio is working with Sen. Hagan on many issues related to fracking and severance taxes in Ohio. She and Hagan hosted OFU’s first meeting Wednesday.

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Above, OFU Vice President Bill Miller discusses manure management and loopholes in current state law affecting waste management in livestock farming with Spencer Gross. Gross is the legislative aide for State Rep. Timothy Derickson, Miller’s representative. OFU’s lobbying day this year coincided with a tremendously busy committee schedule for both houses of the state legislature as senators and members dealt with opening hearings on the governor’s Mid Biennium Review bill (MBR). The MBR comes in the second year of each biennial budget and is the opportunity to tweak the state budget. Additionally, both houses are currently working on the first state Capital Bill in four years.

All Photos by Ron Sylvester, Ohio Farmers Union

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bill Miller, Bill Pritchard, Bob Hagan, Diane Adams, Doug Green, Fred Culver, Joe Logan, Keith Lenz, Linda Borton, Mel Borton, Nickie Antonio, Roger Wise, Sue Culver

Mel Borton honored at National Farmers Union Convention

March 4, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

melpost

L-R: John Hansen, president, NE Farmers Union; Roger Johnson, president, NFU; Mel Borton; Roger Wise, president, OFU. Photo Courtesy of NFU.

During National Farmers Union’s 111th Anniversary Convention, Mel Borton was presented with the organization’s Award for Meritorious Service to Farmers Union and American Agriculture.

Meritorious Service Awards honor those who have made particularly noteworthy contributions to agriculture, humanity and Farmers Union. This honor is the highest award the NFU Board of Directors can bestow upon an individual.

“Mel Borton has dedicated six decades of his life to Farmers Union,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “His passion for the organization has made him a true leader in membership growth and advocacy for U.S. family farmers, and for that we are grateful.”

Borton was born and raised on a farm in northwestern Ohio. He started farming on his own in 1948 as a sharecropper and joined Ohio Farmers Union that same year. He has held several leadership roles in Farmers Union and on other national committees. Today he continues to lobby on the state and national level on behalf of family farmers.

Before receiving his award, a video of congratulations from Ohio Farmers Union President Roger Wise was played for Borton and convention delegates and attendees.

“Mel has been an integral part of Ohio Farmers Union and National Farmers for many years,” Wise said. “When I was a young man and my Dad was on the OFU Executive Committee, Mel was one of the first people I met. He has been an important part of our organization nationally and in Ohio – he’s always advocating for family farmers.”

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Award, Mel Borton, National Farmers Union

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