11/20/08 Open Space update

Washington Ag November 20, 2008 The Property Tax Division of the state Department of Revenue has asked all County Assessors to refrain from enforcement or collection action with respect to removal or reclassification of property currently in farm and agricultural land. DOR wants to first work through the rule making process looking at a revision of the definition of "commercial agricultural purposes" for Open Space tax treatment. For example, some current practices don't fit the existing definition, such as horse boarding or just backgrounding cattle. The DOR request comes after two meetings it held at which more than 150 people provided input on the Open Space taxation issue. DOR spokesman Mike Gowrylow says another public meeting is scheduled for December 4th in Yakima at the Red Lion Hotel from 1 to 3 p.m. Gowrylow: "So we welcome people to participate so they can tell us how the rules can be revised to reflect current farming practices and then we will go from there." The Department of Revenue hopes to publish an emergency rule with a revised definition by the end of December. I'm Bob Hoff.