Over 5,000 property owners in Bucks County pay reduced taxes to towns and school districts under the state Clean and Green program, writes Jess Rohan for the Bucks County Courier Times.
Part of the program specifically targets farms, which are properties usually larger than ten acres that produce agricultural commodities. Almost 70,000 acres across the county are participating in the program, ensuring that some landowners pay over 90 percent less in property taxes.
The Clean and Green program was created by Pennsylvania legislators under Act 319 of 1974 to help farmers maintain their farms amid rising costs and a growing population. While many properties are actively farmed, property owners renting their land to farmers are also eligible for a tax break.
As a result, many who benefit from the tax break are not full-time farmers. Pop star Zayn Malik recently purchased a farm in Upper Bucks County that was already enrolled in Clean and Green, saving about $5,000 in taxes. Other beneficiaries include a scientist and university trustee saving $15,000 and an orthopedist saving $60,000.
Read more about who benefits from the Clean and Green program, and how much they’re saving in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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