Republicans: Nelson fought valuations, too

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2213293

Published Thursday
July 27, 2006

Republicans: Nelson fought valuations, too

BY ROBYNN TYSVER


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Republicans fired back Wednesday at Democratic critics of Pete Ricketts' property tax protest, saying Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson did the same thing 21 years ago.

Nelson purchased his Omaha home in 1984 for $345,000. A year later, he filed a protest after the house was assessed at $256,500. Nelson prevailed, and the property's valuation was lowered to $220,000.

Mark Fahleson, a spokesman for the state GOP, said it was "hypocritical and deceitful" of Nelson and the Democratic Party to criticize GOP Senate candidate Ricketts in television and newspaper advertisements for doing the same thing Nelson had done earlier.

A Nelson spokeswoman responded that Republicans were comparing "apples to oranges," and that the two protests were not comparable.

Spokeswoman Marcia Cady also disclosed that Nelson successfully contested the valuation of his Washington, D.C., town house three times in the last three years.

A political newcomer, Ricketts is attempting to unseat Nelson, the former two-term Democratic governor who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000.

Ricketts came under fire from the Democratic Party earlier this month for contesting his Omaha home valuation. He bought a house in 1999 for $1.2 million. He filed a protest in 2002, asking that the house be valued at $625,000. The county dropped it to $900,000.

He filed another protest this year when the county gave notice that his house's assessed valuation would be increased by 32 percent. He lost.

The State Democratic Party bought newspaper advertisements that used a Dr. Seuss-style rhyme and cartoon to criticize Ricketts.

Nelson said that Ricketts' valuation protest, along with the Republican's comments suggesting consideration of a national sales tax, was the beginning of a pattern.

"My opponent wants to pay less so others can pay more," Nelson said at an Omaha press conference Monday.

[the observationist]

1. Nelson's protest

It was more than twenty years ago. People make mistakes (I'm not saying Nelson's was), but since Nelson hasn't filed a protest in twenty years here in Nebraska I don't think the Republicans have a leg to stand on. I think its funny the OWH printed this article.

[joeglow3]

3. God Damn it Nelson

Why doesn't he cover his ass before blasting Rickets. I hope this doesn't screw us:

Tax reduction for Nelson on acreage scrutinized

BY ROBYNN TYSVER




WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER



A property-tax reduction that Sen. Ben Nelson receives by declaring that the acreage around his Platte River hunting cabin is used primarily for agriculture is coming under scrutiny.

Sarpy County Assessor Dan Pittman said he plans to look over Nelson's 90-acre, wooded acreage next week.

If Pittman finds no evidence of agricultural use, the Democratic senator could be forced to repay about $14,000: three years in back property taxes, with interest.

Nelson's Senate office said he wasn't available to comment Friday. Marcia Cady, Nelson's campaign spokeswoman, said the senator raises wild turkeys on the heavily timbered land south of Gretna.

"He gets them when they're small, feeds them, grows them and releases them," Cady said. She said she did not know what he fed the turkeys, how many he purchased each year or where they were purchased.

Cady acknowledged that the primary use for the cabin Nelson built in 2001 was not for raising turkeys.

"The primary use of the land is to have a place where the senator can go and have the land in its natural state," she said.

Nelson is seeking re-election against Republican challenger Pete Ricketts.

Cady charged that the Ricketts campaign had sought to pressure Pittman, a Republican, into launching an investigation.

Pittman denied that.

He said that, following news coverage about Omaha home valuation protests by both candidates, a number of people came to his office to research the records. He said he believes these people had connections to each of the campaigns.

"I have never felt coerced by either side. That's the truth," Pittman said.

He also said that, in his opinion, raising wild turkeys on the Nelson property would not meet the agriculture requirement for the tax reduction.

"It's really for recreational use, not agriculture," Pittman said.

At issue is a 2001 application Nelson signed in which he said all of his 90 acres would be devoted to agricultural or horticultural use. His application, which was approved by Pittman, allowed Nelson's land to be admitted into the state's "greenbelt" program.

Greenbelt is a special property tax category dating to 1972. It is a way to protect farmers from being taxed out of business in the face of encroaching urban development.

Under the law, the valuation of farmland near urban development must be based on its agricultural use - not the land's market value.

For example, the market value for Nelson's 90 acres of land was estimated at about $458,000. For tax purposes under the greenbelt program, the land was valued at about $20,000. The buildings are assessed for tax purposes separately.

That meant Nelson paid about $4,400 less in property tax last year than he would have if his land were not in the greenbelt program, according to Sarpy County records.

Scrutiny of taxes on Nelson's acreage is the latest property-tax controversy injected into this year's Senate race. Ricketts and Nelson each has been criticized by members of the opposing political party for contesting the property valuations on his Omaha home.

Nelson purchased the Sarpy County land in 1999 for $200,000, according to county records. He built a cabin there in 2000. The cabin is assessed for tax purposes at $156,000 and the barn is assessed at $14,000.

The hilly land, loaded with deer and wild turkeys, sits on a high river bluff. It is heavily timbered, filled with oak, linden and cedar trees. The house is not visible from the road. An iron gate, adorned with a golden "N," crosses the gravel road leading to a 2,700-square-foot cabin and a 1,800-square-foot pole building.

Whether any property deserves greenbelt status often is a contentious issue, Pittman said. Some people purchase a pony or plant a fruit tree and try to claim that their land is being primarily used for agriculture, he said.

When determining whether land qualifies, Pittman said he puts a heavy emphasis on the "primary" use of the land and whether it is for production of agricultural or horticultural products, such as raising corn or logging trees.

"Their livelihood is the backdrop to the whole thing. I get back to the spirit of the law. This was meant to keep people on the land in the agribusiness," Pittman said.

It is not uncommon for people who purchase acreages or have land in rural Sarpy County to receive greenbelt status. All six of Nelson's neighbors, some of whom clearly use the land to plant crops and harvest hay, are in the program.

"Greenbelt is very common in Sarpy County," Pittman said.

About 1,575 Sarpy County land parcels qualify for the program. Most owners are taken at their word that their land is being used for agricultural purposes, Pittman said.

He said his office does not have time to conduct a thorough study of each application, although a visual check is done annually. Often it is easy to spot when once-agricultural land is being developed and no longer qualifies.

Because Nelson's land is located on a high river bluff and heavily timbered, it is difficult for assessors to get a good view when they drive past, Pittman said.

"Once a person applies and they have stated that they are an agriculture or horticultural use, unless we have any reason to believe that's not right, we take the person at his word," Pittman said.

He said he would seek the senator's permission to walk the land next week.

If Pittman determines it is not primarily used for either agriculture or horticulture, he will send Nelson a letter informing him that he could owe three years' back taxes.

Nelson would have the option to contest, if Pittman determines that he no longer qualifies for the program.

Three years is as far back as the law allows to recover such taxes, Pittman said.

[newyawker99]

4. Hi joeglow3!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[joeglow3]

5. Hey.

Fortunately, it looks like Nelson may not have done anything wrong. Apparently, the land was previously designated as agricultural and he just did not notice it.

[Omaha Steve]

6. Here is the story

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2220099

Published Tuesday
August 8, 2006

Assessor reviewing Nelson property

BY SUSAN SZALEWSKI AND ROBYNN TYSVER


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERS


Sarpy County Assessor Dan Pittman said he would look over Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson's acreage Monday afternoon.

Nelson said Sunday that he had not known that the acreage, which is along the Platte River, was in a tax category that may have been inappropriate for his use of the land.

Supporters of Nelson's opponent, Pete Ricketts, had criticized Nelson's assertion that the wooded, 90-acre tract in Sarpy County was being used primarily for agriculture.

Mark Fahleson, a state GOP spokesman, said Sunday that as a Washington politician, Democrat Nelson felt free to disregard the property tax laws.

The two sides in the Senate race have been trading jabs in an extended property tax controversy. Each of the candidates has been criticized by members of the opposing political party for contesting the property valuations on their homes.

The Sarpy County property had become the latest battleground in the fight.

The senator could be required to pay about $14,000: three years in back property taxes, with interest.

Despite applying for the special designation in 1999 and 2001, Nelson said Sunday that he was unaware that the property around his hunting cabin had a greenbelt designation, a special property tax category for land used primarily for agriculture. Nonagricultural land is taxed on its market value.

A spokeswoman for Nelson said last week that Nelson raises turkeys on the land, although she acknowledged that that was not its primary use.

Nelson issued a statement Sunday saying he was willing to pay the full tax if the designation is found to be in error.

"The greenbelt designation was on the property when I acquired it and apparently had been for several years," he said. "Unfortunately, I never paid attention to it and apparently renewed it. I was not aware I received a benefit.

"I have not sought anything to which I am not entitled," Nelson said.

In February 1999, Nelson signed a greenbelt application for 26 of his 90 acres. And, in March of 2001, he signed a greenbelt application for the remaining 64 acres, Pittman said.

Pittman said he believed all 90 acres already were in the program when Nelson bought the land in 1999. Greenbelt status transfers when land changes hands, but county assessors request that landowners reapply for the designation.

Fahleson took issue with Nelson's explanation Sunday.

"Sadly, Ben Nelson has become a Washington politician," the GOP spokesman said. "One set of rules applies to the rest of us, and another set applies to him."

[TheFarseer]

2. Saw a LTTE in the OWH

Some douche-bag was saying that he was going to vote for Nelson because before he didn't seem like a politician, but this attack on Pete Ricketts about his home valuation was just such a low blow, now he's going to vote for a monkey from the zoo. Oh, boo hoo, some backers of Ben Nelson point out that Pete is a greedy POS so I'm going to cry to my mommy now. Screw you, Ben doesn't want your whiny snot-nosed vote. This is a Senate race, not the Rainbow Brite Bake off. If you think that was a vicious attack - have you never seen a political ad??? My God!