Amendment 4 passed 68.4%-31.6% during this past November's election. Effective in 2010 it will offer landowners a full property tax exemption by placing their land in a ‘conservation easement forever'. Groups including The Nature Conservation will make sure that these landowners keep their land in its natural state. The easement is forever linked to that property even if the owner decides to sell the land to the organization in charge of it or another private buyer. Legislators must determine the qualifications properties must have in order to receive the tax exemption. Federal tax breaks are income or estate and will offset decreasing property values because easements impose development restrictions. Current tax benefits apply to landowners already using their land agriculturally. Conservationists are excited to see more incentives for those protecting Florida land but rural areas will have to find other ways to replace tax dollars otherwise collected from these properties.
Jessica Benoit
The Burish & Serena Team
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