Neither of Minnesota’s candidates running for Governor are likely to cut property taxes for the state’s farmers and ranchers. Incumbent Governor Mark Dayton admits property taxes are not the best way to raise money to fund local governments and Republican Challenger Jeff Johnson says he’s hoping to look for possible savings through a bi partisan report put together two years ago. Minnesota Farm Bureau Public Policy Director Doug Busselman says it’s a tough tax that’s being felt deeply in rural Minnesota but neither candidate is promising reform.
Busselman says his group has a property tax task force working on the issue and will be talking to both the Governor and the legislature next session about possible relief solutions.
Busselman says part of the problem is that ag property taxes have been going up while other property taxes are going the other way so it’s become somewhat of a complicated issue.