Property Appraisers Closing Loophole on Big-Name Developers

ORLANDO-Orange County Property Appraiser Bill Donegan and Osceola County Property Appraiser Bob Day are teaming to close one of the oldest and most valuable land tax loopholes in Florida’s development history.

The loophole: Florida law allows developers and speculators to purchase thousands of acres of prime virgin land and then avoid a steep annual tax assessment by planting trees, growing grapes or raising cattle on the dirt until it is ready for commercial development.

That endeavor automatically puts the land in the agriculture-zoned category, the lowest tax level in the state.