Chickasaw County approves family farm, homestead and military property tax credits

Assessor Ray Armel presented a set of property tax credit items to the Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 and the board approved the noted applications.

Armel reported there were 34 new family farm tax credit applications this assessment period. He said the county now has 2,268 parcels receiving family farm tax credits, representing about 172,804 acres of the county's 297,615 agricultural acres — roughly 58% of agricultural land covered by owner-operated or family-operated farms. The board moved to approve the 34 new applications and the motion carried.

On homestead credits, Armel reported 54 new applications, including filings for the disabled veterans homestead tax credit. He said there are currently 32 disabled veterans homestead tax credits, with property values reported in a wide range (examples cited from about $7,700 to $404,800). Armel reported a total of 3,667 homestead tax credits in the county; about 1,258 qualify for the 65-plus exemption, which he said with the 2023 assessment yielded an exemption valued at $3,002.50 and with the 2024 assessment is estimated at $6,500. He reported the owner-occupancy rate for homestead claims at about 71.3% and said 78 homesteads were being removed because they no longer qualify. The board approved the homestead application list as presented.

Armel also summarized military exemptions: 11 new applications were received and 48 exemptions were removed this year (for reasons including sale or death), leaving 517 total military exemptions on the rolls. He told the board he was not recommending denial of new military exemption applications at this time.

All of the above items were reported as presented by the assessor and acted on during the meeting; the board voted to approve the presented lists.