Jul. 14, 2016
HARRISBURG – A bill aimed at ensuring the state’s Clean and Green program is working as it was intended is now on its way to the governor’s desk, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), prime sponsor of the measure.
Clean and Green provides preferential property tax assessment to owners of farm and forest lands to encourage their protection from development. However, in counties that have not conducted a reassessment recently, some Clean and Green properties are being taxed at a rate higher than a normal assessment.
“This has especially been a problem in counties with high-quality timber because it drives up the use values of the land and leads to higher, rather than lower, tax bills for the property owner,” Causer said. “This defeats the purpose of the law and could lead to land owners removing their properties from the program.”
To ensure the program continues to work the way it’s supposed to, Causer’s
House Bill 806 would prohibit counties from taxing Clean and Green properties at a rate greater than fair market value.
Once signed by the governor, the law would take effect immediately.
Representative Martin T. Causer
67th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Patricia A. Hippler
717.772.9846
phippler@pahousegop.com
RepCauser.com /
Facebook.com/RepCauser