Commissioner urges county to study impact of large conservation land purchases on tax rolls
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Summary
Commissioner Trujillo told colleagues that recent purchases by the Nature Conservancy remove large ranches from property-tax rolls, potentially reducing county and school revenues; he asked the county attorney and manager to explore options including negotiated PILT-like payments, a conservancy tax rate, or legal remedies.
Commissioner Trujillo raised a detailed concern about recent large-scale land purchases by conservation entities, saying such transactions can remove properties from the local tax base and threaten funding for county services and schools. Citing the recent Dawson Ranch purchase and other local acquisitions, Trujillo said the loss of property tax revenue could force reductions in services and warned that the county's mill rate is already maxed.
Trujillo suggested several possible responses for staff to evaluate: pursuing negotiated payments in lieu of taxes (similar to PILT), seeking statutory changes to create a conservancy tax classification that is higher than agricultural rates but lower than full taxes, or, as a last resort, litigation. Commissioner Kern clarified that the Sandia Pueblo arrangement referenced earlier involved negotiated payments rather than a lawsuit.
Why it matters: Removing large parcels from the taxable base shifts the tax burden and can affect school bond capacity and county service levels in a rural county with limited revenue sources. Trujillo asked the county attorney and the county manager to return with options and legal analysis.
Details: Trujillo said the Dawson Ranch transaction was listed near $90 million in price (he did not provide contract documents) and warned of downstream effects on local economies that rely on agricultural activity. Commissioners requested staff follow-up with the county attorney to analyze options and statutory tools, and to reach out to potential buyers to negotiate payment arrangements where feasible.
