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- Info
Baughman, Melvin J., eds. US forest property taxation systems and their effects
| Author: |
Chang, S.J. |
| Date: |
1996 |
| Periodical: |
In: Baughman, M.J, ed. Learning from the Past: Prospects for the Future: Symposium on Nonindustrial Private Forests; 1996 February 18-20; Washington, DC. |
| Abstract: |
Under the federal, system of government in this country, individual states retain the power to set up their own property tax system. As a result, the forest property tax systems vary considerably among states. Before it ceased publication in 1984, the Timber Tax Journal annually published an update of changes in forest property taxation legislation in various states., Since then, many states have revised their legislation iii forest property taxation. To keep abreast of the changes, some studies have been carried out to document the forest property tax systems in the United States. These studies, however, are often limited in their coverage and descriptive in nature (see, for example, the study by the Oregon Forest Industries Council 1993, Greene 1994). In this paper we report results from a recent survey of forest property taxation in all 50 states? After the individual state forest property taxation systems were classified, the effects of these taxation systems on fiscal neutrality, tax burden, revenue stability, and administrative simplicity were analyzed. The analyses of forest property taxation systems are important in helping state legislators understand the various considerations involved in revising a forest taxation system. At least one state legislator has pleaded for help in this regard (Sommers 1979). |
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