Lincoln County seeks more data before changing 40-acre ag tax threshold
Preliminary report shows 130 more small farms might get break, but at least $1.1M tax burden would shift to other landowners
A proposal to lower Lincoln County’s agricultural land threshold from 40 acres to 20 could cut taxes for some smaller farms while shifting more of the bill to other property owners, according to a preliminary county analysis.
Commissioners spent roughly 45 minutes Tuesday working through that trade-off. They took no action on a resolution that would have restated the existing 40-acre standard and instead asked staff for more research. Because the previous resolution remains in force until commissioners amend it, the 40-acre threshold stays in place.
Agricultural property made up about 13 percent of Lincoln County’s taxable value in 2017, 9 percent in 2022, and 7 percent in 2026, Karla Goossen, the county’s director of equalization, told commissioners. About 4,100 parcels are classified as agricultural, compared with nearly 29,000 nonagricultural parcels.
 | A guest post by
|