03/30/05 Farm Bureau opposes new death tax

03/30/05 Farm Bureau opposes new death tax

Washington Ag March 30, 2005 The Washington Farm Bureau is urging its members to call their state lawmakers to oppose a new estate tax, or "death tax" that both Governor Christine Gregoire and Senate Democrats have included in their budget proposals. Farm Bureau spokesman Dean Boyer says both the governor and the Democrats say there would be exemptions for family farms, however Boyer says the exemption is after the family farm triggers the estate tax. Boyer: "In otherwords the farm assets are included in determining whether the estate owes death taxes. And then there is a deduction from how much death taxes are due because of the agricultural assets. But there would still an estate tax imposed on family farms by both of these proposals." Washington State University officials says the budget proposal unveiled by Senate Democrats this week does not include any funding for the Biotechnology/Life Sciences building at Pullman. The Senate also wants a one percent reduction in non-instructional areas like research and extension. While the Senate, like the governor, would provide more resident student positions for the College of Veterinary Medicine, WSU officials say a tuition offset will cause damaging reductions in the college's programs. I'm Bob Hoff
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