Reply to Why does Montgomery County Subsidize Taxes for Country Clubs?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]14:39 - They are not being subsidized they are receiving a reduction on property taxes because the nature of their business requires more land.

The Agri tax rate is not about environmentalism. Farms are not a plus to the environment anymore than a gold course is in terms of wildlife, tree cover etc. The Agri tax rate is to enable business that requires more land with fewer building facilities and lower density to operate.

The small farms throughout the Agricultural Preserve do not serve a high % of residents. They aren't open to the public or required to participate in farmers markets. By your logic, these farms in MoCo should all be paying the same tax and ones that aren't open to the public or operating a roadside stand most of the year should be hurt and punished. Why should a business that only really supports people who like expensive local produce and farm to table dining experiences be encouraged or supported in MoCo. Who do I call to burn these down?

See where your logic takes you. The scenario with the club on more land due to a golf course, tennis court or pool is the same. It receives the lower tax rate for land because it requires more land with fewer facilities than other commercial businesses or residences. Its not different than the farm.

I also think you are not understanding economic principles if you think it would be wiser for MoCo to drive farms and clubs out of the county. These businesses are attractive to the surrounding communities, quality of life and help keep up property values. MoCo has already driven all the private sector jobs over to VA and small business out to Howard and Frederick. If you now start driving out quality of life businesses then why would people live here? [/quote]

No one is changing the taxation of farms, just for country clubs which are currently paying a lower rate than the rest of Maryland residents.  If the nature of their business requires more land, they should pay the fair rate on that land rather than requiring Maryland taxpayers to subsidize them.[/quote]

But farms produce tangible things that benefit everyone: food, domestic animals, etc.

What do private country clubs produce?   Back-nine business deals? Good old boy networks? Corruption?

Bleed them dry. [/quote]

Again, no one is proposing to change the taxation on farms, just country clubs which are paying a lower rate than the average Marylander.
[quote]
Delegate Wants More Country Clubs in Montgomery To Pay Market Tax Rate 
Similar legislation, opposed by golf courses, failed in last session of Md. legislature

Legislation being introduced in the Maryland General Assembly will call for expanding the number of country clubs and golf courses in Montgomery County that would be assessed at the county’s property tax rates, which could lead to higher tax bills for private clubs.

Del. David Moon, a Takoma Park Democrat, plans to re-introduce legislation with co-sponsors Sen. Will Smith and delegates-elect Lorig Charkoudian, Vaughn Stewart and Julie Palakovich Carr.

Moon said the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, known as SDAT, taxes private golf courses of at least 50 acres with more than 100 paying members at the rate of $1,000 an acre, instead of the value of the property as assessed by the state.

“It [the course] might be worth $100 million when it’s being assessed at $1,000 per acre,” Moon said.[/quote][/quote]

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