Why Are Farmers Still Paying for Schools? End the Unfair Tax Burden on Our Agricultural Heroes!

Farmers should be exempt from property taxes, period. Farming is a vital industry that sustains our country, and taxing farmland only makes it harder for farmers to stay afloat. With rising costs, volatile markets, and unpredictable weather, farmers already face significant challenges—taxing their land is an unnecessary burden that hinders their ability to reinvest in their operations and ensure long-term viability.

On top of that, it’s time to rethink school levies funded by property taxes. No one should have to pay school levies unless they have a child actively enrolled in the school district. It’s unfair to make landowners and residents—especially those without school-age children—shoulder the cost of funding schools, often for programs and infrastructure that don’t benefit them. Public education funding should come from broader, more equitable sources like sales or income taxes, where everyone contributes, not just property owners.

By exempting farmers from property taxes and shifting school funding to those who actively use the service, we can create a fairer system that doesn’t unfairly penalize landowners, especially those who are already struggling to maintain their farms. Let’s support farmers by lifting the property tax burden and making sure education funding is more fairly distributed.

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I would consider adding a provision that the exemption is only for owner-operated farms… not absentee landowners. Although, as I write this, I’m thinking taxing farm land would also hurt farmers who lease land, so maybe I need to think about it a bit more

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