CONCORD – A move to create a new property-tax break for farmers ran into criticism in a Senate hearing.
The House passed the bill easily, with a two-thirds majority in February, despite concerns by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
In a Senate Public and Municipal Committee hearing, NHMA ran through a list of problems it sees with the bill, HB 1442. The committee plans to continue the hearing later this month.
The bill would allow voters in a town to exempt the land beneath farm buildings from being assessed a view factor, commonly called the view tax, and would instead tax it under the current use program. Farm buildings, such as barns and sheds, would be taxed at their replacement value, not their fair market value.
State law now says that land under and around buildings cannot be put in current use, which can greatly reduce taxes on land of 10 acres or more.
Assessors say they have no choice under existing law but to apply view factors to properties that have buildings on them.
