Evidence on Farm Use Value Assessment, Tax Shifts, and State School Aid

The almost universal adoption of farm use value assessments is a fundamental change in the U.S. property tax system. Evidence from the Illinois use value assessment program suggests assessment law changes codified de facto farm property tax preferences and substantially increased property tax liabilities on nonfarm real estate. An evaluation of the effects of use value assessments on state school aid under a district power equalizing formula demonstrates how costs of farm property tax preferences are exported, in part, to state taxpayers.