Gentz Response

Gentz Response

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Monday and Tuesday we ran a story about government overreach in Colorado where farmers, who dedicated a certain amount of property that they owned to non-farm use such as conservation, were issued tax credits that could be sold. The Gentz family, owners of a farm in Sterling Colorado did just that… The government reversed its policy for unexplained reasons…The Gentz family Received a bill from the state for over $700,000 which was a result of the dollar for dollar tax credits, interest and penalties. After running the story, here is a partial email I got back from Julie Gentz.

 

Thanks so much for the opportunity to get the word out - we think that is very helpful.  The legal precedent that has been set by state agencies is frightening for all Citizen's and state programs going forward.  The fact that state agencies have inflicted devastating personal and financial stress on Colorado farmers and ranchers for over 10 years and the whole operation has kept very quiet is shameful.  

 

Our State Representative (Jon Becker HB16-1174) sponsored a house bill  creating options for relief for landowners and in his testimony he stated that, "Colorado should have appointed a public defender to each of the landowners in order for them to have a chance against the Dept. of Revenue and the Attorney General"!  

 

Our Senator (Jerry Sonnenberg SB16-044) also sponsored a senate bill and during his testimony he stated, "the amount of the fiscal note attached to this bill represents the amount of money we have screwed these citizen's for", and" we have hosed these people"! Strong words indeed, but it is an accurate description of the level of betrayal we feel.

 

We have included a link to a Denver Post story about a landowner in southern Colorado:

Rocky Ford hay farmer Timothy Crow despises staring at bankruptcy. The 61-year-old says he hates it even more that Colorado put him there. "This was supposed to be a good thing for everyone," Crow says of the state's conservation easement program, where land-rich but cash-poor ranchers and farmers like him can preserve their property forever in return for needed income. "It's become a living nightmare," he said.

 

Also a US Observer article put together by the Landowners United group that has filed the federal lawsuit:

http://usobserver.com/archive/april-14/ce-land-theft.html

 

Again, thank you for reaching out to us and creating an opportunity to shed light on this dark story.

 

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