Below is Glenn Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne. He is a newly minted GOP candidate for Governor in Virginia. There are a lot of horse farms in Virginia. Hm?
By Patrick Wilson
GOP gubernatorial nominee (click here) Glenn Youngkin and his wife last year successfully petitioned Fairfax County to designate their horse farm as an agricultural district, which led to a 95% reduction in the taxes they pay on the 31.5-acre property in Great Falls that surrounds their home.
The agricultural district reduced the Youngkins’ real estate tax bill on the farm by a total of $151,844.90 in 2020 and 2021 combined, according to public information that the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration provided to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said in a statement that the couple sought the agricultural designation as part of a commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation.
“The Youngkins made their home in Fairfax County in order to meaningfully enjoy and care for the unique land and habitat of the area,” the statement said. “The Youngkins are wholly committed to keeping the land protected and preserved, and remain in full compliance with all local, state and federal laws, regulations, tax codes and ordinances.”...
That all seems very noble and responsible and even a left-wingish Liberal Republican, except, environmental stewardship is not considered an agricultural designation in Virginia's agricultural assessment.
...Title 58.1-3230 of the Code of Virginia (click here) states that, “a county, city, or town may adopt an an ordinance that provides for use-value assessment under four categories: real estate devoted to agricultural use, horticultural use, forest use and open space use. Land used in agricultural and forestal production in an agricultural district, a forestal district, or an agricultural/forestal district is eligible for use value assessment in the absence of a local ordinance.” The State Land Use Advisory Council (SLEAC) was created in 1973 to estimate the use value of qualifying land for every locality participating in a use-value program. As of now, 64 counties and 13 cities in Virginia including Albemarle County participate in a use-value program. There are some people, like Martha Moore of the Virginia Farm Bureau who see land use assessment as an effective (if temporary) method to halt excessive land development. Moore says, “Without land use assessment, the tax burden would increase so rapidly that the land would not be able to be used for agriculture or forestry operations. There would be development at a rapid pace rather than at a planned pace.”...
The only assessment that remotely applies to the Youngkin's estate is "Open Space Use." I stress USE in that designation because accordingly, this is a private residence and not open to the use of the public. If the Youngkins are going to say their estate is Open Space Use, then every backyard in the State of Virginia should receive the same agricultural designation.
