HOW WILL THE MONEY TO PURCHASE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BE ALLOCATED?
County allocations are determined by county government, whether that be allocated county funds or through a bond issue. Roll back tax interest is also utilized. The state then matches that allocation. Since July of 1993, a two-cent per pack cigarette tax has provided about $21 million per year for the Easement Purchase Program. Also, since the introduction of the 1996 Federal Farm Bill (Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act), over $1.8 million in federal funds have been allocated toward the purchase of easements. Although the primary reason to protect important parts of the community is to ensure a high quality of life, saving farmland and saves money for the taxpayers. Farmland preservation is a fiscally sound activity and an investment in the communitys future!
