Posted on 06/10/2011 3:58:19 PM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing
NEPTUNE, N.J. (AP) — Spotty enforcement and an outdated state law allow thousands of landowners to pay pennies on the dollar in property taxes.
The Farmland Assessment Act of 1964, intended to preserve agriculture in New Jersey, is being used by millionaires, developers and anyone with at least five acres to slash their farmland tax bills by 98 percent.
An Asbury Park Press investigation into farmland assessment records found that landowners deemed "fake farmers" by those calling for reform are producing little more than the bare minimum — $500 — in goods to qualify for the tax breaks.
One landowner grew weeds and another forged a signature on a government document in attempts for the tax break, the Press found. A third used a cow to eat the home's front lawn for a few months and then sold the animal in the fall. Under the law, that homeowner was entitled to the tax break on his five acres.
AC/DC front man Brian Johnson calls him out.
http://www.celebitchy.com/90417/bono_slammed_by_acdc_front_man_for_his_charity_attitude/
Yep. I was listening as that caller described it.
So?
They shouldn’t pay any more taxes than the government takes.
I know a guy who did this in NJ, and it was a pretty good idea (if circumventing taxes was the purpose): bees.
I guess if you sell 5 jars of super-expensive honey to five friends, meeting the quota, then share the savings on your property taxes, everyone (except the tax man) wins...
Was glad to see you post it; I had looked and didn’t find the article.
You misunderstand.
Progressives constantly advocate for ever higher taxes, then even when they’re successful at dooming us all to them, they do this kind of garbage.
“Stop playng with your parents computer.”
Don’t be an insulting asshole.
The corruption is in the tax code.
Springsteen and Bon Jovi are too freakin' stupid to truly discuss tax policy, yet they hire the best Tax, and Financial Advisers not to mention Attorneys to find all these plums in the code to take advantage of.
Yet they have the cohones to tell us about feed the poor this, Obama that, support this cause but are about as deep as a saucer when it comes to real world decisions that are based on small details such as this tax code anomaly they take advantage of. They don't get the cause and effect and do it because their pro's tell them too... Without getting into to the particulars about being on the other side of the table, the most aggressive clients in this arena are the uber liberals, and the hypocrisy is stunning.
The problem isn’t that these people are taking the tax breaks the law allows. The problem is they push for higher taxes on others.
Exactly.
Rules for you. Rules for me.
It’s the hypocrisy.
And lest anyone suggest this is a liberal vs. conservative thing, it's worth noting that this kind of racket became a campaign issue for GOP candidate Jon Runyan (the former NFL player) in New Jersey last year. It's also probably used most extensively in the most heavily Republican areas of the state (Morris, Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, for example).
LOL
I don’t misunderstand nuttin.
I apreciate what you are saying.
I live here in the Bay Area and know many of the people on the otherside.
Nancy, Diane, Zoe, etc. Even had lunch with Willie Brown.
I know their duplicity well.
Yea, right.
And who do you think sets up all of those plums in the tax code? The "little people"????????????
No Politicans, not men of Liberty, our Founders are rollin’ in their grave. I know they did it to curry favor ( the Jersey tax code )....
No, he was pointing out how people use loopholes to get out of paying taxes, hence, the rest of us have to pay the costs of running a state or country. So by using bullsh!t loopholes, they are freeloading off of those who pay to run everything.
No, he was pointing out how people use loopholes to get out of paying taxes, hence, the rest of us have to pay the costs of running a state or country. So by using bullsh!t loopholes, they are freeloading off of those who pay to run everything.
It’s especially hypocritical when libs like BonJovi and Springsteen push for raising taxes for their socialist utopia, while they try everything to get out of paying.
“It’s especially hypocritical when libs like BonJovi and Springsteen push for raising taxes for their socialist utopia, while they try everything to get out of paying.”
I agree, it is hypocritical but it is legal. Those loopholes are there because someone paid for them to be there. Our tax system is an abomination.
I have a file sitting on my desk explaining all about this subject. I had a beautiful farm picked out BUT I couldn't buy it as it had not been farmed in 2 yrs so I would have had to pay over 20 grand to the town in taxes & then reapply for farmland which I may or may not have gotten. Some people do abuse the farm tax, many do not. Most of the elderly farmers depend on farm taxes in order to keep their farms or the developers come in & NJ really doesn't need any more strip malls or condo's etc.
The Press makes it sound so easy & simple. It is not by any means. For each year a farm sits idle when you buy it you pay the town the back taxes for for it not being a farm. You can not just decide one day I am going to get farmland tax breaks either & its the middle class small farmer who suffers. We have many horse farms here who depend on this break. Lots of farm stands who do grow veggies & fruit. I can see it growing. Maybe these taxmen ought to go check out the rock stars who can afford to pay huge taxes as we in NJ even if we are not on farms are taxed higher then most in the damn country. And maybe they ought to check their horses out too as a certain wife to one of those super stars damn near starved her kid's pony! Since I rescue horses I don't want to get on a rant on that. However this article makes it seem like everybody is scamming. Well they aren't. The rich rock stars should pay their taxes & the taxman should be looking into this for sure. IF they are truly farming then they deserve to get their break. But not as low as Max Weinburg does...I don't know any farmer getting breaks like these stars are. But I know normal hard working farmers who work 2 jobs to keep the family farm... However this is NJ where the rich get the perks & the middle class & poor get $hit on. There is much more to this problem & because some people want farms to stay it will take awhile to check into this....Its NJ! GRR!
Thanks for putting some detail and perspective into this story.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.