The following article is portion of an article from The Taos News:
by J.R. Logan
Vermejo Park Ranch, owned by media mogul Ted Turner, claims it is being “unduly penalized” by the county assessor’s office for practicing sustainable forestry and grazing practices.
The half-million acre ranch is protesting its taxable value, arguing the Taos County portion of the property should enjoy a discount because it is used for agriculture. The assessor’s office revoked the ag classification for 2013, asserting that the primary purpose of the full-service guest ranch is commercial, not agricultural.
Vermejo Park encompasses 591,000 acres that straddle the New Mexico/Colorado border, including 30,700 acres in Taos County. A protest filed last week argues the Taos County acreage should be valued at $2.9 million instead of the $17.7 million asserted by the assessor’s office.
At stake is around $90,000 in potential tax revenue.
Turner, 75, has an estimated net worth of $2.2 billion, according to Forbes Magazine.
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Source: The Taos News
Posted by Haylie Shipp