St. Joe Company Says Bay County's Tax Rate Is Unfair

Updated: Fri 3:19 PM, Jul 02, 2004

All of this comes as its development plans remain in limbo because of lawsuits by environmentalists.

Bay County's property appraiser says St. Joe asked for and received a change in the property's zoning in December from agriculture to a mix of residential, commercial and airport-industrial.

The new rates likely will mean an additional $500,000 to the county this year. That number could jump to $1 million next year as the developments grow.

A St. Joe spokesman says that because of a lawsuit filed by three environmental organizations and one individual, the land is useful only for agricultural purposes.

Agricultural uses are taxed at a much lower rate. The company is the state's largest landowner.

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