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Editorial: Help Elect Cedar Key News` Board of Directors
April 13th, 2003

Editorial: Cedar Key News: A Progress Report
March 11th, 2003

Editorial: Mercedes Meets the Mud
February 28th, 2003

Editorial: Happy New Year to All
December 29th, 2002

Editorial: Letter to the Editor - Thank You C.K. Police for Doing Your Job
December 15th, 2002

Editorial: Poll Results: Fact, Fiction, or Propaganda?
December 4th, 2002

Editorial: WANTED
November 27th, 2002

Editorial: 1,2,3,4 What Are We Fighting For?
October 10th, 2002

Editorial: Do We Really Want Law Enforcement in Cedar Key?
August 15th, 2002

Editorial: Levy County Emergency Management
July 26th, 2002

Editorial: We Have Our Own Heroes
July 17th, 2002

Editorial: Take a Little Time!
July 3rd, 2002

Editorial: Water Management District Trying Its Best
June 26th, 2002

Editorial: Bribery and Misuse of Public Office
June 25th, 2002

Editorial: Police Officer`s Improper Conduct Case Fades Away
June 24th, 2002

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Helping the Levy County Budget

Helping the Levy County Budget

Editorial

Appraisals of Levy County property values are down, and with them tax revenues are down. Budget cuts are wisely being considered. New sources of income may help, but closing property tax "leaks" are a source of income that should be pursued.

Properties claiming agricultural (timber) classification receive reduced taxation, yet there is clear evidence that some so called timber land is actually real estate development. Blocks of land adjacent to cities, purchased for amounts exceeding forest product economic dreams should not get tax relief. Land fenced and with sweeping lanes through wooded area may be fine for hunting, but this is not agricultural timber production. These acreages look like real estate developments. Where are the required timber management plans and records of timber harvest?

Most striking are coastal lands with no apparent timber or timber harvesting that have come before county planners with extensive development plans. Where are the timber management plans or harvest records? These lands are taxed at less than $20 per acre. All other tax payers carry the burden. With proper appraisal, based on sale price, absent timber management plans, no record of timber sales and official records of development efforts, tax revenues can be generated.

A smaller, but real, source of revenue could come from enforcement of homestead requirements for tax exemption. Rental properties sheltered by a homestead exemption are tax evasions on a small scale. But tax evasion that puts the tax burden on honest tax payers.

Another source of revenue should be the housing of out-of-county prisoners in the new 170 bed wing of the Levy County Jail. The expansion of the jail was justified by plans to rent the beds to federal and other prisoners.

Finally, aggressive pursuit of federal stimulus money to replace decrepit Category 3 and 4 county bridges could relieve Levy County of expenses that would otherwise deplete the Levy County treasury.

The bottom line-cutting needed services can be avoided by plugging tax leak and finding new sources of revenue.

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