A bill in the Republican-controlled Kansas state Senate would change the state’s method for assessing farmland value and could sharply increase property taxes for farmers and ranchers, says the Scott County Record, which says there could be “a huge shift in the property tax burden.” The newspaper, based in Scott City, cited a preliminary state estimate that land values could increase by 473 percent under SB 178. The bill is opposed by an array of farm groups. “Rural Kansas has become a minority at the statehouse and Senate Bill 178 is a blatant attempt to exploit that fact,” said the Kansas Farmers Union. State Rep Don Hineman said the bill is an attempt to resolve the state’s budget deficit by putting an additional load on one sector.
The change in assessment methods for ag land is among a number of bills that seek to close the budgetary hole, says a newsletter that monitors the Legislature. Also proposed are a 5-cent increase in fuel taxes, higher cigarette and liquor taxes, elimination of tax breaks for residential utilities, pass-through income and on purchase of farm machinery. The legislative session is half-over so action on revenue measures is expected to heat up.