Property taxes are among the most pressing issues for family forest owners.
In our first foray into video, and our first “Perspective” piece, we feature a November 2008 discussion with Jeff Forester, Executive Director of Minnesota Seasonal and Recreational Property Owners (MSRPO). Jeff discusses his book, The Forest for the Trees: How humans shaped the north woods and how the property tax code affects seasonal recreational landowners.
We’d love to hear your thoughts after you watch the video. Post a comment and you could win a free copy of Jeff’s 2004 book! Details below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/QBaRZoUxRDE]
Post a reply and win a copy of Jeff’s book.
After you watch the video, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Everyone who leaves a comment below has a chance to win a free signed hardcover copy of Jeff’s book, The Forest for the Trees: How humans shaped the north woods.
Everyone who comments has an equal chance to win–entries are not judged, we just want to hear your thoughts.
To enter, leave a comment below. Use your real name. We’ll announce the winner in our January email update.
Fantastic! I have belonged to MSRPO for a handful of years and Jeff’s work has not gone unnoticed. The video was great and I now will send it off to my new Rep for the 2009 session. Thanks for everything you do Jeff and thanks to My Minnesota for a great partnership with MSRPO
Very interesting video, I never thiught about taxes in that sense before. What Jeff says makes a lot of sense.
Yep! I’ve only been on the MSRPO board about a year, however, in calling over 100 people who had NOT yet renewed their MSRPO memberships (their average age was in excess of 65 y.o.) taxes were a primary problem! The majority of them had lake cabins with 100′ feet (or less) of shoreline, one was deceased and two had not been to MN for over a year (due to age and/or health). No one indicated a “forestry only” type of property! Earl Brunberg
interesting perspective on things.. great insights
MN has an opportunity to fix the problem Jeff describes. It will be difficult, partly because it means a change in the way people spending the money look at sources of revenue. It is difficult to give up a source of revenue, but absolutely necessary to deal with these issues. Hopefully the logic of message will carry the day.
An important video which needs wide distribution. I will forward it to my legislators and ask them to spend the few minutes to watch it.
This is an important issue. Jeff really highlights the problem that we will have in developing landscape-scale management plans with small acreage plots.
This is world-wide and nice to bring it back home. 45 yrs in talking,thinking and living it in mn.and elsewhere. So thankful you have the gift to convey the need to spark what it takes for action.
Last month we invited you to post comments in response to Jeff Forester’s perspective on Minnesota’s property tax structure. As promised, we drew a winner from those who posted. A free, signed hardcover copy of Jeff’s book The Forest and the Trees: How humans shaped Minnesota’s northwoods goes to (insert drum role) Al Van Thomme. Congratulations Al and thanks to all who posted.
[...] Jeff Forester on problems & solutions with MN’s property tax code MN DOR’s SFIA Fact Sheet MFA’s SFIA overview page SFIA: A Landowner’s Guide(PDF) [...]
[...] Jeff Forester on problems & solutions with MN’s property tax code MN DOR’s SFIA Fact Sheet MFA’s SFIA overview page SFIA: A Landowner’s Guide(PDF) [...]
[...] Jeff Forester on problems & solutions with MN’s property tax code MN DOR’s SFIA Fact Sheet MFA’s SFIA overview page SFIA: A Landowner’s Guide(PDF) [...]