The controversy has reignited in the agricultural world and targets government policy, particularly legislative provisions regarding undeveloped land.
An amendment by opposition deputies Eric Ciotti, Charles-Ange Ginésy, and Jean Leonetti is demanding nothing less than “the outright cancellation of the increase affecting property taxes on undeveloped land located in certain municipalities,” even though the National Assembly’s Finance Committee had decided to postpone this measure by a year.
This initiative could not go unanswered by the local Green Party, who, being in the spotlight, declared in response: “EELV has always supported the preservation of agricultural lands and the economic and cultural activity that is local agriculture. During this electoral period, EELV 06 calls on all mayors and all municipal candidates to commit to preserving agriculture and agricultural land to increase the purchasing power of farmers and the economic foundation of their farms,” stated Marie Luz Hernandez-Nicaise, the movement’s spokesperson.
And added: “This request is primarily addressed to Mr. Michel Dessus, the president of the chamber of agriculture, who is running for the position of mayor of La Gaude, while continuing to use the presidency of the chamber of agriculture as an open platform for landowners, whom he intends to defend in an ideological battle that harms local agriculture.”
The rebellion from the 06 chamber of agriculture, echoed by the deputies mentioned above, against the increase in tax on undeveloped land is understandable because if it applied to agricultural lands, this increase would economically jeopardize farms in the Alpes-Maritimes. The farmers are right to sound the alarm, but they are not providing the right solutions to the real problem.
Indeed, let’s not forget that lands classified as agricultural are entirely or partially exempt from property tax, meaning that farmers working on classified agricultural land do not pay, or pay very little, property tax, which the Duflot bill guarantees.
The problem doesn’t originate from this bill, which provides a solution to the housing shortage and real estate speculation by putting developable land back on the market.
The issue arises from the fact that most Local Urban Plans (PLU) do not classify agricultural lands as such, and they are considered by mayors as simple “developable zones” or “zones to be urbanized.” It is up to mayors to do their job and protect local agriculture from land and fiscal pressure!
It is urgent and necessary to cut the grass from under the feet of speculators who use the status of a farmer (and there are some!) to speculate on the price of agricultural land by converting it into building land.
EELV 06 therefore demands:
1- A total exemption for farmers from the increase in tax on undeveloped land in 2014, until the mayors regularize the situations of the PLUs;
2- Referencing by mayors in their PLUs of all agricultural lands (in current or potential exploitation) thus allowing all farmers to benefit from a permanent, total or partial exemption from any property tax, as is already the case today.
