[NormsRevenge]

The Schwarzenegger administration argues that ending state support of the Williamson Act is needed to reduce California’s structural deficit. “Very little room remains for flexibility while remaining fiscally responsible,” Ed Wilson of the Department of Conservation explained.

But Gamper said that Schwarzenegger’s bean counters have it all wrong. “You’re going to wind up paying a heck of a lot more if that Williamson Act ground gets converted to residences,” he argued. According to Gamper, if 1 percent of the 16 million protected acres under the act becomes residential homes, Californians would end up paying $20 million or more annually in taxes to cover homeowner property-tax breaks.

Wolk noted that former Governor Gray Davis, whose deputy chief of staff also was Susan Kennedy, attempted to kill the Williamson Act during his tenure. “It wasn’t a good idea then. It’s a worse idea today,” Wolk said.

[Freedom4US]

“In my own county, for example, about 65 percent of the land is protected under the Williamson Act,” Assemblywoman Lois Wolk of Davis said."

It ain't your county, lady.

Then again, that's California. Maybe it is?

[Calpernia]

Of course! Remember, Stalin wanted large collective farms.

[Zhang Fei]

I suspect if this goes through, California home prices are set to take a serious dive, as huge tracts of buildable land come to market. The plus is that Californians who feel squeezed by high home prices and can’t afford to buy will now have choices within the state. Long term, this will have good effects for the state’s economy. Current homeowners who want to sell today could take a hit, though.

[PAR35]

It should knock down prices for Calfornia housing to more realistic levels. Anyone who bought a house for an investment (rather than shelter) should probably bail if this goes through.

[AdrianR]

40 million $ per year / 17 million acres = 2.4 $/acre. That doesn’t sound like an amount that would prevent someone from selling the land to a developer.

One more government program that does nothing?

[NormsRevenge]

http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DLRP/lca/

Williamson Act Program

The California Land Conservation Act of 1965—commonly referred to as the Williamson Act—enables local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use. In return, landowners receive property tax assessments which are much lower than normal because they are based upon farming and open space uses as opposed to full market value. Local governments receive an annual subvention of forgone property tax revenues from the state via the Open Space Subvention Act of 1971.

—

Fact sheet (PDF)
http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DLRP/lca/pubs/WA%20fact%20sheet%2006.pdf

[Kevmo]

bump for later reading

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

^

[Finny]

“It means more pressure on farmers to develop the land,” warned Allayaud. “If [landowners are] paying higher taxes, there’s less incentive to keep their land as ranch land or farmland.”

My jaw is hanging open. "Less incentive"??? Incentive?

Try: Ability to keep their land as ranch/farmland. These guys will go broke if taxes exceed income from the land. What the hell do people think they live on? Good God.

[Amerigomag]

Typical Austrian move. Remove your fingerprints from the crime.

The Austrian, again, saddles local government with the fiscal responsibilities of state mandates.