Cheney Farm Easement

[RDH 20B]

To Tuftonboro Residents--- Re; The Cheney Farm Easement which is contained in the budget and will be voted on at the Town Meeting in March. Should this easement be paid for by the Taxpayers or by private funds? It is stated to cost Taxpayers $16.00 per $100.000.of property assessment.

[Zanne]

As a new non-voting land owner in Tuftonboro, I would be interested in knowing how much "conservation" land is in town. Also, I am unclear as to what the 16.00 per 100,000 is being budgeted for. Excuse my confusion but I thought the Cheney Farm easement was a reduction in estate taxes when property is sold to a town or non-profit land trust.

[Rocky]

Depends which side you are on.

[RDH 20B]

To Zanne---The $16.00 per $100.000. of assessment along with other funds from other sources will purchase a conservation easement which will prevent the farm from being sold to a developer. If developed the expenses to the town will be more. Re; school,fire, police etc. The question is, should the entire cost be borne by private funds. There have been many arcticles in the Grunter on this subject.

[Zanne]

I am sorry if my question was confusing. V.P. Dick Cheney proposed a bill a few years ago regarding changing the estate tax charged to individuals who sell their land to towns or other non-profits. This is sometime called the "Cheney Farm Easement bill" Hence my confusion. I am new to Town and do not know where Cheney Farm is or what is the Grunter. I would love to know. Thanks and sorry for my confusion.

[RDH 20B]

To Zanne. The Cheney Farm is on Rt. 109A near the Wolfeboro Town line. It is on the right side of the road and the house sits up on a knoll. Very pretty old house and contains about 44 acres.The owner is having a hard time financially,and would like to keep the farm. By having the property put into an easement the taxes would be less even though I believe much of the property is now in 'Current Use'

[gh@altonbay]

Zanne,

In answer to the other part of your question, The Grunter is the nickname for the Granite State News.