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<br /> FORDM ,, , - City meets silo In this Farmington-area scene.The seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan
<br /> from page 8 • '' area has lost 233 square miles of agricultural land to urbanization since 1970.
<br /> ?slowly,while Lake I3hno is•experi- - growth rate during this same period
<br /> •-encing moderate growth and ' 11 These trends are accelerated by
<br /> ••
<br /> Farmington is being developed •- • r an all too ccnntnon attitude that
<br /> rapidly. " a' ; `� y :Lb c;`°" a 3�`sf•+s:it1
<br /> "",p.,"rt,C•t-' `'f.-01-1k.s;�E, 4.--s ,.;,;, •.,y-y r •_a ,k . -yik-= , K'F ,/'. t farmland is property that is"vacant'
<br /> Perhaps the most•ironic finding -- . IY ''; •.te: r 3 -_ xt' t ' 4^.rx ; t
<br /> p t z•.n€'' tr �'��` =T� `.t or"wasted;'until it sprouts subdivi
<br /> of this study is that sprawling res i- ,• :, --4 d-� .^ • 's,,,,+ t ,� t.- 4.44"4'S' 't 1-4 Bions. But ag,acres fuel a powerful
<br /> dentia)developments can result in •
<br /> , �; ,t ,:. ='' > � :,,,..;gib y� �,,..•
<br /> economic engine in the region.
<br /> less funding for schools.In `` • •• ....,-..,----;,--7-,-_ nom` ''"'' ,
<br /> °•
<br /> �• s }i a Despite rapid urbanization in these
<br /> Minnesota,stale aid is used Co hold • '_ �' sl. -• e;�, .:.• counties,metro-area agricultural
<br /> down property taxes.Because this `f:; ti! --r. r.-- _ yrs
<br /> ' , .yam+} •'"~;`- 'CA's .. .��°�..':. activity produced more than$500
<br /> aid is usually distributed based on - _ii
<br /> •' -• _�* million worth of farm output and
<br /> •population or school enrollment,it _: _. _..�.• ......-.1...,.....„.„,........ generated 7.000 jobs in 1990.
<br /> increases the share of education Nationally,56 percent of agricultur-
<br /> funding attributable to the residen- • • ' `•-•: .r„sve--1 •f"+,:.---n,,,. .�,, -e
<br /> of,-,--it- •.4.-.'� ,_. r-•;r; ;,.•;.. „,,, al production conies from counties
<br /> tial sector. Minnesota's school aid is ,:at"y: • •� on the edge of cities.
<br /> dependent on the total property vat- --:._,. ►:•} Farmland and the Tax!3i/I con-
<br /> nation of a school district,as well as
<br /> ...... 4442........"..........r."• .'.s= '- 3'.4„.....„0..z.,....41.
<br /> '+� 5•;" ' eludes that Minnesota and metro-
<br /> being a function of enrollment,thus <� ..... .„...,14,.....t.„,,,, ,,...1.�c�a .. ••iK.i.. 1: ,:.'.:'..t. - y�-• ,•; le..`. :_i•; r,'•4.,
<br /> �Lti =••_..---:_•,.•l :''' . `.:. :f ,., 1'•"':"4ixEaa - {;•':'. r - "'i.. _ .4:ai'.�'•%+. t area communities should continue tr
<br /> .'g`i. .sty i ,,'f-`� i-, �. •Y$iig�• ..?•'riww�^►x.Yao #51:;,'—b',.f..
<br /> school districts receive less state aid ,,,� �•yr� , a"' ���s
<br /> student asgrowth occurs and '?:••••' •- . ';r' j{ :.i ,• support existing farmland protection
<br /> per -.•°•.• :1§.. ,-. .:.;r�=rad 1"::.4i'::....4.1.4,:..- ..;:= Inti .. programs such as Metropolitan
<br /> property lax bases expand. Agricultural Preserves and Green
<br /> Normally,the expanded tax base only because of its contribution to the delivering necessary public services fastest-growing metropolitan area Acres.For economic and environ-
<br /> would offset any loss of state aid. tax base,but also because it holds --from roads,sewers and parking from the northern plains to the east- mental reasons,the study recom-
<br /> Hut if residential development is the down property tax valuation.Lower lots to education and public safety em seaboard.The seven-county mends exploring other techniques tc
<br /> source of the expanded develop- property tax valuation leads to more —was considered. A study released Twin Cities metropolitan area has retain this valuable resource base,
<br /> meat,then the increased cost of ser- state aid,which reduces the share of last year by Utah State University's lost 235 square miles of agricultural such as purchase of conservation
<br /> vicing that development could nem- local government costs paid for by economics department found that land to urbanization since 1970. easements.
<br /> ally lead to the need for higher prop- local residents and property owners. for every$1 in revenue collected by Since 1980, most of that growth has The statistics reported in this
<br /> en)/taxes to fund schools,the study • The tax revenue as compared to residential property rax revenue in occurred in second-ring suburbs. study will justify such measures.
<br /> .found.This analysis points out that cost of services ratios this analysis one of that state's counties,$1.27 in The Twin Cities area is the third Perhaps even more importantly,
<br /> Minnesota's lax structure makes it reports are similar to those found in services was being provided. - least densely populated metropolitan they will help put to rest the fallacy
<br /> very difficult to determine who is eight studies of farmland develop- These studies conic at a time region in the country,but one of the that the most valuable crop farmlaric
<br /> 'paying the true costs of sprawling meat in Connecticut,Massachusetts, when sprawling growth is destroy- fastest growing geographically.The can produce is residential taxes.
<br /> residential development and who is New York and Ohio.Those studies ing Minnesota's farmland at an amount of metro-area land devoted
<br /> benefitting from it. found that any apparent gain in tax alarming rate.The 20-county to urban land uses has increased by Lee Running is program director of the
<br /> t And it notes that farmland protec- revenue from residential develop- growth corridor from St.Cloud to 42 percent since 1970,almost dou- Land Stewardship Project in Murine Oi
<br /> 4n may be financially beneficial not merit was lost when the cost of the Twin Cities to Rochester is the ble the 22 percent population Si. Croix.
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