Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Special deals are letting Maryland’s country clubs get steep tax discounts according to Maryland Del. David Moon. He is proposing legislation that would get rid of the tax breaks Maryland gives country clubs.
“I just think it’s time to re-visit that decision and really take a look at this and say, ‘Is this a priority right now?’ I would think that country clubs would be the last priority when fiscal times are tight,” Moon said.
Moon said the tax discounts cost Montgomery County alone $10 million a year, which is especially problematic given that the county just learned it is facing a $120 million deficit.
Many of Montgomery County’s clubs are located on prime real estate in pricey places like Bethesda and Chevy Chase. According to Moon, the combined fair market value of all the land owned by every country club in Montgomery County is around $1 billion, yet that land is only assessed at $3 million for tax purposes.
“To have them call that land only worth $1,000 an acre is absurd,” Moon said.
Moon said one common argument is that if the clubs aren’t given tax breaks they might leave the county, but Moon finds that argument hard to believe given the popularity of some of the clubs.
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