Use-value change pulled from Wisconsin budget bill

The Wisconsin State Senate passed the budget reconciliation bill last night but not before that change in use-value assessment was taken out of the bill. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau credits Senator Kathleen Vinehout, Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, Conference Committee member Representative Mary Hubler and a coalition of Assembly Democrats led by Ag Committee Chair Amy Sue Vruwink with getting the change out of the $62 billion package.

The proposed change was put into the bill by Senator Russ Decker who charged developers were avoiding taxes on land by planting a few crops until they started to build. Farm groups jumped to oppose the measure saying it would substantially increase the taxes on 750,000 acres of state farmland.

The Assembly will have and up-or-down vote on the measure today, it is expected to pass. It will then go to Governor Doyle who is expected to sign it by Wednesday, July 1st so the state qualifies for millions in federal dollars.