Public Input Needed on Proposed Forestry Tax Increase

"I am sending this e-mail to urge citizens who own forestland that is part of the Classified Forest and Wildlands Program to submit comments on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Forestry Strategic Plan, which includes a proposal for a $2 per acre, per year administrative fee."

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INSTATE/bulletins/1222712

Geeze, what a bad idea.

Personally I don't see it all that bad.... I got a email and thought I share!

Looks like they want input good or bad.

And I appreciate the heads-up.

So let's say you have 250 acres enrolled in the program....you would gladly pay 500.00 per year, every year in perpetuity, to have "Classified Forest" signs on your land? That adds up to 10 grand, over a period of 20 years. For what benefit?

The only real incentive that they've been able to convince landowners to add their woods to the program was because it is taxed as forest acres with a 5.00 assessment per parcel. There's no other real benefit to a landowner. If they add this fee, all my land will come out of the program. It'll be cheaper to just pay normal property taxes on it. And I'd no longer have to tolerate their Forestry guys tromping around my place to do "inspections".

They do this...... I will pull my land out too....

Who's the idiot that dreamed up this one!! LOL!!!

I understand you points and they are valid.....The withdrawal from classification penalty could also be very pricey!

Just what we need -- a property tax increase under the guise of an administrative fee!! Where are our House and Senate representatives on this? Should they not have a say? Isn't this also somewhat like changing the rules mid-game? I believe the Indiana Code (IC 14-23-1-1 (12) amended in 1995) cited in the Strategic Plan presentation says that the Division of Forestry can charge fees for specific things REQUESTED by the landowner. So, if I do not want to use the services of the Division of Forestry I should not have to pay them anything.

I would also say that the Indiana General Assembly should modify the current law (I assume it is in the Indiana Code) so that any person who signed up for the CF&W program can drop out of the program without penalty of owing "back taxes" on the acreage put into the CF&W Program. Give them a break. I would guess most have had their land in the program for quite a few years and should be given a “pat on the back” for having maintained acreage in forest and wildlife habitat rather than “slapped” with an additional tax bill each year. Also, there are numerous, well-qualified foresters and biologists in the private sector who can give landowners advice and information on managing and improving their particular CF&W acreage.

Perhaps the comment period should be extended for a few more months beyond tomorrow?