Real estate taxes are going up for farmers and milk prices are low. That's the message that the Todd County Commissioners heard Dec. 2, when they convened a public hearing on Todd County's $13.6 million tax levy for 2010.

According to County Assessor Chuck Pelzer and County Administrator Nathan Burkett taxes on the county's agricultural land have increased an average of 3.6 percent. At the same time homestead tax credits for agricultural land have been declining as land values have increased, according to Pelzer.

Farmer Keith Olander told the commissioners that they were putting the tax burden on farmers. He said that agriculture couldn't continue to carry the tax burden in the face of declining commodity prices.

Commissioner Kircher and Administrator Burkett both said that they understood that agriculture was the primary economic engine of Todd County.

They indicated that their hands were tied, however, and that the problem needs to be addressed by the legislature. The tax system as it is now, is unfair they said.

Burkett and Pelzer pointed out that while taxes have increased on agricultural land they have decreased for residential, commercial and seasonal recreational properties. The decline in taxes is the result of declining values for those properties. Commissioner Ruda said that agricultural land taxes will begin to decline in the next few years as agricultural land values decline. Taxes payable in 2010 are based on land values for the period between October 2007 and the first of November 2008.

Burkett said that the 2010 budget has not increased from the 2009 budget.

He said that the county will only hire essential personnel and that the county payroll is down 18 full time positions from a year ago.

When Keith Olander asked Burkett why the county had $230,000 in defi- cit spending for 2010 Burkett replied that the deficit dollars probably wouldn't actually be used. He said the 2009 budget also had deficit spending in it.

Zoning

The commissioners granted a 50-day extension to Blue Spruce Development, Inc., for consideration of a Conditional Use Permit associated with a 17.8 acre development in Leslie Township, on the shore of Lake Osakis.

The company had previously received a 60-day extension from the county.

The development involves a number of complex drainage and shoreland issues as well as an adjacent agricultural irrigation well. Cleaning and maintenance of a private drainage ditch has been of particular concern to the county. Ben Zacher is the owner of Blue Spruce Development. Zacher asked for additional time so that his lawyers could work with county lawyers to address the county's concerns.

Ditch 19

The commissioner approved a plan to remove stumps in 5,500 feet of County Ditch 19 in Hartford and Ward townships. The stumps will be removed by grinding them during the winter. To avoid excessive sedimentation, further cleanup of the ditch will not be done until after green up next spring. The cost of the work will not exceed $50,000 and will be paid for by landowners benefiting from the ditch.