Good for LA. I hope they don't buy another square foot in Jackson Co.
The Coosa co commission has told them to quit buying land in Coosa co. They've only bought a little over 10,000 acres that is part of the WMA, but the commission is complaining about the lost tax revenue. What I don't understand is that is some of the worst land in the state and was taxed at the lowest rate. It didn't bring in enough money to even pay one commissioner salary.
I heard that FW was gonna buy another 10,000 acres but backed out. So now that land is out of the WMA and leased to a club. Yet the county tries to promote itself as a great place for outdoor recreation. It can't be that if there is no access. I used to float Weogufka creek often, but now all the gates are locked.
If you're a timber land owner in those counties, you'll figure out quick where the tax shortfall from FW is coming from.
I do own timber land in Coosa Co and the FW purchase had no effect on my taxes at all. If FW had bought the entire Coosa WMA we would not have lost enough tax money to pay the salary for one commissioner. I would rather the WMA still exist and cut back one commissioner, but of course that wasn't an option. Or I would rather pay one more mill of property tax and that would have been more than enough to cover the loss and we would still have the WMA.
On the other hand, taxes on my land in Perry county has gone up over 50% in the past 10 years due to reappraisal and the county also voted in a new tax for the schools. I really don't mind paying that if they will use it well, but I am in the minority of landowners who feel that way.
I just really feel bad about the loss of our WMA, and it really bothers me that there was a way to save it and it was stopped in order to save a very small amount of money. It might even be a net loss to the county - people who would have come here and spent money to hunt, fish, hike, etc, will now go spend their money somewhere else. We likely lose more in sales tax than we saved on the property tax.