Dairy farmer urges Torrington to raise farm building tax exemption after reassessment spike

Butch Klug, owner-operator of Klug Farm, addressed the Torrington City Council during the Aug. 4 public comment period to describe sharply increased reassessments on farm buildings and to ask the council to consider raising the municipal farm-building exemption.

Klug said a heifer barn that was built with USDA assistance was originally assessed at $90,000, later listed as $70,000 and then—after a reassessment—valued at $170,000. He said the farm buildings are on farm-preservation land and that farm buildings for active farmers are exempt up to $50,000 under city practice. "We're the only operating dairy farm left," Klug said. He told the council that milk prices remain low and that rising assessments and taxes threaten farm survival.

Mayor and council members acknowledged the hardship Klug described and said a state public act enacted in June allows municipalities to increase farm-building exemptions by local ordinance. The mayor referred Klug’s request to the ordinance committee; councilwoman Mary Rouette said the ordinance committee would review the new state law and make recommendations at the committee meeting scheduled for Aug. 18. "This will go to the ordinance committee," the mayor said, adding the public will have an opportunity to comment during the committee process and subsequent public hearing.

Ending: The ordinance committee will review the state change and Klug’s request at its Aug. 18 meeting, and Klug was invited to appear and provide details during that committee review.