Buddy Johnson's "farmland"

TAMPA — In seeking a $608,573 agricultural tax exemption on a rural tract he bought last year, Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson is relying on an annual lease of his land to a part-time farmer for $1 per acre. Johnson is allowing the farmer to use his 19.98 acres for cattle grazing for $20 a year. With the cows on his land, Johnson hopes to be granted a "greenbelt" tax exemption that could knock more than $12,000 off his tax bill.

More here.

Comments

He needs to man-up and pay his property taxes like the rest of us. It's not our fault he bought a worthless piece of land and can't afford the taxes. This is what happens when non-business people try to be business people- Next time leave these things to the real players Buddy!

[get-smart]

He should get the tax exemption as farm land. Also the land should be deemed farm land for the next 99 years regardless of ownership. This way it keeps the dirt bag developers from destroying more Florida farm land. I'm sure Buddy would agree.

Isn't Buddy a former GOP House member? Looks like he learned how to drink from the public trough like the current GOP legislators do so well.

Are you sure this cat doesn't live in Pinellas County? Sounds like one of our "meet the needs of the people" deals over here!

This is not a "Bona fide" transaction. It is a sham and a fraud. It turns out it is just another politician gaming the system. How sad.

Hey Buddy: PAY YOUR TAXES, YOU TAX CHEAT!

[George Micheal]

Is Buddy leasing this land to his "boyfriend"? Word from Plant City is that Buddy switched teams after he went to Tallahassee.

This isn't farm land nor is it being used for agricultural purposes. He subdivided it and gave it a development name, it is in the name of a corporation, and unless it can be proved that the cows are turning a profit, he can forget it. Although I don't argue the point that we don't want any more of the land in Florida developed, granting him a bogus exemption is not the way to go. Pay your taxes like the rest of us you frickin' cheat.

Hey- he is a Republican so that means he is entitled to make $$$ at our expense.

Either it's legal or it's not. If it's legal, get off his back. If it's not legal, he should not get greenbelt. Nor should the hundreds of "cow pastures" (future developments seeking tax-favored status) in the county. Why report on this one?

Its legal. A sham, but legal.

Shameless liberal pandering by the dying print media! Let's see this article printed about every public servant receiving the LEGAL greenbelt exemption!

There are loopholes to almost everything in which eventually people learn how to work the system so that it benefits them (even welfare, unemployment & disability insurance claims). I had 2 neighbors that did the same thing for about 7 years & in one property a school was built & in the other a single-family home development.

In this case, it looks like Buddy wants to invest. What is wrong with wanting to invest? An elected official can't invest? Through my company I invest in health & a Flexible Spending Account that are Pre-tax benefits & a Roth IRA that I don’t have to pay taxes later. So again, the gov't makes off with collecting less tax from my employer & me. It is what it is.

[get-smart]

To me it's not so much what is legal or not legal, it's these guys rigging the system with their buddies and getting a sweetheart deal. Since he is renting the land, Buddy is not responsible for his renter's success. The success of his renter means nothing. Is $20 a year a profit? It's not a loss.

To the man with the medical FSA. If you don't uses the money in the FSA in the year you will lose the money. Second, you have already paid the taxes on the deposits. By the time you get to retire wall street will have all your money. Put all your money in bank CD's now!

11:06...

I am not a man, I am a mother of 3 & my FSA is for childcare. I pay approx $12K a year in childcare. $5,000 is the cap for the FSA. I then can receive a tax credit based on the remaining $7,000. So as you can see I spend the whole $5000 by the end of the year.

For a family of 5 the company also deducts $ from my paycheck pretax for health benefits which is about a $1400 savings a year in not having to pay taxes.

I agree FSA is not for everyone, but it works for us.

the greenbelt law is a loophole that needs to be closed.

Thousands take advantage of it, and it's time they pay as well.

[Liberal Hypocrits]

Let me see--most liberal believe in man-made global warming and advocate carbon taxes and conservation. A republican basically does that with his land that is taken out of productive service (read development and more concrete and more carbon emissions) and seeks to get the property taxes lower to reflect this. All power to him. Liberals are such annoying flies--and idiots.

6:03 - ever hear of Miami Lake Florida? Graham county - he did the same thing....

Please people...Matt Geiger gets the greenbelt exemption in Pinellas for a pet buffalo. At least Buddy is working within the Florida statutes and applying - not yet granted - for the exemption.

[Clyde]

Some of these comments betray the typical partisan mindset of so many citizens. Too many Floridians are just contemptuous of the law and feel they can ignore it. That attitude is common with many of our elected officials, and is behind most of the corruption with which we are beset. This case is corruption. Don't care if it's "legal", it's morally corrupt. Oh, sorry! That's not cool, is it???

If I plant three or four tomato plants, can I get a break.

City Boy

Do you want greenbelt exemptions or not? Make up your minds. The exemptions were enacted to induce land owners to keep their land green. Don't blame Buddy Johnson for keeping his land green and accepting the inducement.

The sooner we abolish the property tax completely, the sooner this kind of crap ceases being an issue.

The only reason Buddy is keeping his land green is because there is no real estate market at the moment. He wants it both ways. He wants to develop the land and he doesn't want to pay the taxes. Give him the exemption and zone the land farmland for 99 years. This will keep him honest.

[Buzzard]

I agree. If it's legal, give him him the exemption. If it isn't, then don't. He didn't do anything the rest of us wouldn't have done. Those of you who say you wouldn't have long noses. This is just another attempt by The Times to b---ch slap a public official so the rest will toe the line when the omnipotent Times makes its will known.

[Buzzard]

And to March 16 at 11:27 - AMEN AMEN AMEN. Property tax is a boil on the butt of Florida's economy that has festered for too long. Let's see some real leadership to lance that boil!!!!!!