Agricultural Industry Groups Form Coalition to Oppose Prop 15

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

The California Farm Bureau expressed disappointment last week at the governor’s decision to endorse proposition 15. The ballot initiative would establish a split-roll property tax that would reassess and raise taxes on commercial and industrial property, including agricultural facilities.

Here’s California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson.

Johansson… “Prop 15 is a ballot initiative this November that really will remove property tax protections and predictability that California farmers have enjoyed now for over 40 years. And replace it with a tax scheme that would open our properties to be reassessed at fair market value every three years. And while they claim that there's an agricultural exemption, it is kind of a play on words in terms of understanding what the current tax law says about property, and it's not just the land and also real property such as land improvements and fixtures. So Prop 15 ultimately may not tax our land itself, but certainly, your fixtures like an irrigation system or your improvements such as barns or processing facilities. Even our fruit and nut trees and grapevines, once they reach maturity, are subject to be increased taxes under Prop 15.”

The farm bureau has formed a coalition of agricultural industry groups such as Western Growers and the Agricultural Council of California to oppose the ballot initiative. You can join them at www.CAFarmersAgainstProp15.com.