Municipal Ag land Assessments

[farmaholic]

They're here. Interesting re-assessment. Highest gain was about 16.7% . Highest loss was about 10.8%. And anything in between. 16 quarters, so lots to compare given the variability of them, soil types, topography, etc. I know our land like the back of my hand, and some of the assessments are suspect.

Has anyone ever gone through the appeal process.

I would like to see the checklist they use to determine assessment.... Soil type, texture, soil zone, topography, alkalinity, stones, waste, ability of grow various crops?

You would think that looking at several years of satellite imagery could help, or hinder, depending what kind of a cycle(wet/dry) you're in or went through.

Taxes are not outrageous here because our RM has quite a broad taxbase (doesn't solely rely on Ag land for it's revenue). So you want a high assessment if you're selling and a low one if you're keeping it a looooong time? But as I said our taxes aren't bad, so the higher the assessment the better.

[Guest]

how do you think the RM's operate ? the govt has downloaded a lot of costs to the RM's over the last few years , hardly enough money left to operate . a bridge that used to cost 2-300000 $ , now costs 2-3 million . RM's can barely afford to buy gravel for the roads . you need to spend some time as a councillor before you talk like that

[Hopalong]

Difficult for assessors who have to make judgement based on what they see.
Locals have better knowledge of frost prone and flood prone areas.
Sask Land Bank made mistake in relying too much on assessment to determine land values, some sellers came away laughing.

[farmaholic]

Last summer the Assessor actually stopped in here and we had a good conversation. And you're right hopalong, nobody will know the land better than the local people. Hard to "pull one over" local people who farmed in the district all their lives.

I have a saying about land... get to know what you have and accept it's limitations.

Funny how it all gets farmed. Even the mediocre stuff, it's where you were raised and what you're accustomed to. I'm sure some people wouldn't want to farm here compared to some other areas...but it's "home" to me. Family farmed some of this stuff from the time the sod was turned and no one starved to death here... yet.

[Guest]

we'll run for council , it's a thankless f$&king job , I'll tell you that

[cris]

Well its easy then, buy the good land, sell the shitty stuff to investors! I have watched good and poor land sell for the going price in an area regardless of quality.

[jamesb]

First of all, the local rms have little to do with the assessment. SAMA does this. The RM's set the mill rate only, no power over assessments. They can be a facilitator with the appeal process. Like others said, those unhappy with their current RM council should run. The RM's always need new people.

[bucket]

Speaking of RMs.

Had they went ahead with the consolidation of RMs years ago into a county system ... we may be better off.

These power domes people like to preside over is quite appalling.

And yes I have been a councillor but deciding shit in a bar instead of chambers was tiring.

[farmaholic]

Yup, you're living up to your username wiseguy. But as I said our taxes are quite reasonable compared to some RMs with poorer land in them.
It's an ego thing.....;-P

[farmaholic]

Yup, you're living up to your username wiseguy. But as I said our taxes are quite reasonable compared to some RMs with poorer land in them.
It's an ego thing.....;-P

[farmaholic]

.....courtesy of the Ratepayers!!!

Exclusive Club... invitation only.

Gotta know all the back roads to get home "safe" and hope they're passable after the rain. There is at least one good way for each councilor to get home on back roads from the RM office.

[RD414]

bucket and wiseass, get on council and change it. 20 years ago, bottles would show up from dealerships at Christmas, not any more. If you have a bunch of drunks, turf them, but most are too lazy to run. We always zero out reassessments but we have raised taxes as well. We pay 21 to 30 bucks an hour to outside employees. Any employee caught drinking or drugs are let go on the spot. Guess some asshole councillors like ones around Regina can paint all with shit brush but majority around here work hard for their ratepayers.

[farmaholic]

RD414....What do you mean by zero out re-assessments?

We have a decent group of councillors. I don't think there is really any need for house cleaning. More of issue as to who will replace this group when they decide to step aside. I really do think our RM is well managed.

[Guest]

the years I was on council, I always found that it was the guys who do SFA for the community or RM , bitch the most and think the RM is there for their own personal gain . it really is a public service wise guy , why don't you give it a try . easy to bitch and moan and think you know everything

[bucket]

As I said, I have been on council.

Plan something and the other division ****s it up for personal gain.

Ask workers to regrade a road because it was a ****ing mess. And get told to do it yourself.

And they wouldn't fire the stupid ****.

I don't begrudge anyone who gets on council .... its a frustrating job.

But it might be time to move away from 6 division RMs and take a new look at how to deliver services. With competent peopke and a bit more of a vision than how to grade a route home for a drunk.