How can you make any money selling bermuda hay?

Egon · Apr 13, 2004

Cattle on the front lawn. Makes me think of barefoot walks and pies that aren't made from apples.

Just as a suggestion have you ever though of reintroducing some tall grass prairie and collecting seeds for selling. It would also make excellent hay if not cut too frequently.

The flowers also look nice.

Egon

cowboydoc · Apr 13, 2004

In order to go into the govt. programs you usually have to have a crop production record.

Alan L. · Apr 13, 2004

Egon Mrs. Alan L wasn't too happy about the wildflowers being disked under for the bermuda, but I convinced her that it was necessary that we have a crop.

fishman · Apr 14, 2004

Alan,

This is exactly why funding Texas state government with property taxes is such a dumb idea. Not to point fingers just at you, because I know lots of people in your situation, but granting an ag exemption on 10 acres is silly. Not only that, but you can't get a wildlife exemption on such a small plot of ground, and you can only get one if the land has already been on an ag exemption. So lots of people in my area have fenced their 10 or 20 acres and loaded them up with goats. Problem is, this area is pristine, native, in it's original state. You got to screw it up in order to save taxes. Crazy what people will do to save a few bucks.

I have a homestead exemption on my house and 10 acres (maximum amount of land allowed). That's a dumb loophole too, but I'd be stupid not to do it. Maybe you should check into that as well.

Hope you don't think I'm coming down on you, I'm not. Just frustrated by a tax system that is outdated and inefficient. I'd much rather have an income tax or personal property tax (TX has neither . . . unless you own a business then you pay personal property tax).

Junkman · Apr 14, 2004

( ............. Just frustrated by a tax system that is outdated and inefficient. I'd much rather have an income tax or personal property tax (TX has neither . . . unless you own a business then you pay personal property tax). )

Move to Connecticut, we have a personal income tax, a personal property tax on everything from your horse, goat, sheep, tractor, snowmobile, boat, trailer, stamp collection, tools, etc.. They also have a tax on business for personal property and inventory. We also have real estate taxes on the house and land. Your April 15th state tax return is more complicated than the Federal in some instances. Now, our neighbors to the Northeast, Massachusetts, is more affectionately known as Taxachuseetts, but Connecticut has them beat hands down. We also have one of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation. The governor that gave us the income tax, well, he moved to Florida after he was out of office to avoid the taxes that he created. You have to love a guy like that.
When you die, they tax the estate also, so what you were able to keep while you were alive, they try to take away from you upon death. I believe that CT has one of the lowest death rates of all the New England states. Most people leave before they are taxed to death. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bird · Apr 15, 2004

( I'd much rather have an income tax or personal property tax )

Whew! Bite your tongue. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

fishman · Apr 15, 2004

Junkman,

Now don't get any wild ideas here. There is no way I'm coming to the east coast to avoid Texas taxes. I'm not that dumb /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

All I'm saying is that it's not a very good idea to tax wealth as opposed to income. In fact, it just plain stinks. It makes more sense to tax people as they make their living, then let you do with what's left as you wish.

For example, property taxes are double taxation (at least). You are taxed on the money you earn, taxed on the property as you own it, then taxed on the profits (if any) when you sell it.

It just makes more sense to tax you once, and get it over with. This would avoid all of these silly loopholes that people employ to save taxes.

Just blowing off a little steam here. Not trying to make any political statement or anything. My job is funded by taxes, but at least they are discretionary and they are use taxes. If someone wants to go fishing and use the state waters for their enjoyment, then they pay a small fee to do so (fishing license)

Now, I'd better get back to work. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Egon · Apr 15, 2004

Think I'd be real happy to make enough to pay the taxes.

Egon

Alan L. · Apr 15, 2004

fishman, actually I don't just have 10 acres, I have 24 acres, and if I only had one, and it was used for ag, then I feel like I am every bit as entitled to the ag exemption as the guy that has 10,000 acres. Nothing personal taken of course, but my opinion on the subject does differ from yours.

Alan L. · Apr 15, 2004

fishman, unfortunately if we have personal income tax, then the state will spend that and still won't have enough to fund all their programs, and so we will have both income and property taxes, as many states do. I don't want to get on that slipperly slope although I hate property taxes too.

If you could tell me that property taxes would disappear then I might waiver on this, but I don't believe it would happen.