Officials warn posted‑land surcharge in S‑314 would add tracking and billing burdens

Committee members reviewed S‑314, a provision directing the Current Use Advisory Board to recommend a surcharge for land owners who "post" their land. Jill Remick, director of Property Evaluation and Review, explained the department’s practical concerns: "Right now, the current use program has no — we don't have anything to do with posting. We don't wanna know. We don't have any way to track it." She said the bill raises operational questions about how a surcharge would be billed, who would collect it and how changes in posting would be recorded.

Remick noted the department already runs large annual certification efforts (she cited roughly 8,000 agriculture certifications sent annually) and warned that adding posting tracking and surcharge collection would create additional burdens and opportunities for error. Committee members also raised equity concerns, asking whether posting is concentrated among a few owners or widespread, and whether the policy would unintentionally shift taxes onto neighbors.

No formal motion or vote on S‑314 was recorded. Members asked staff to gather more information about local posting practices, consult town clerks, and coordinate offline with local officials including a town planner named Jim and a town contact referred to as Warren.