Forest Property Taxation: Another Look

The paper reviews the forest property tax situation with special attention to the general property tax and alternatives which have been substituted for the general property tax on forest land and timber. Three criteria for evaluating the alternative approaches to forest taxation are discussed: amount of tax, timing of tax, and form of tax. Specific alternatives to the general property tax considered are: yield taxes, productivity taxes, and present-use assessments. Probable future trends in forest property taxation are also discussed.