Financial Information


Do Land Bank Preserves take land off the tax rolls, resulting in higher property taxes for local landowners?

Are there greater community benefits to also consider?

We are often asked if Land Bank acquisitions “take land off the tax rolls,” resulting in higher property taxes for other landowners. To answer this specific question, yes, but very little.

To begin, the taxable value of Land Bank Preserves is about one half of one percent of the total taxable property in the County (roughly $55 million of the total $12.49 billion). If this amount were added back to the total, and the tax rate adjusted to keep the total amount collected the same, it would reduce the annual tax on a $500,000 property by $10.00.

These are the numbers for today. But we think it’s important to recognize that conservation has a tangible value to the community It comes in the form of ecosystem services – clean air and water; moderation of climate; timeless refuge. These, nature gives us for free…if we conserve it.

[1] Approximately 1,000 properties; 300 adjacent parcels and, roughly estimated, 700 nearby parcels.