Every year, the city council acts as a board of review for citizens to voice their complaints and ask questions about the valuation of their property. The citizen must first attend the city board of review before going to the county if they are seeking an adjustment on the valuation of their property. Dybing pointed to the Green Acres program, which lowers the taxable value of the farmer s wasteland and woodland, as one of the highlights of the year. Farmers had until May 1 to apply for the program. The lower values pertain only until the land is sold.
Landowners mya be liable for up to three years of taxes at the higher level at the time of sale.
Dybing said the counties of Houston, Fillmore and Winona met with the Internal Revenue Service to discuss the dilemma of the rising values of woodland and wasteland due to those properties being purchases at a higher price than land that was used for agricultural purposes. He said, We were basically driving farmers off the land. The prices were being driven up by outside influences. Dybing said farmers may not see the valuation decrease impact their taxes immediately, but it will be something that will cause financial savings in the long run. Council approves design for fountain Plans were approved to go ahead with installing a cement water fountain in the garden that will be created in front of the city auditorium.