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"WESH 2 News examines Super PAC American Crossroads' claim that Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson is stealing money from Florida.Senator Bill Nelson is stealing money from Florida -- at least that's what one might think from the latest attack ad targeting \"Farmer Bill.\"\"After 40 years in politics, Bill Nelson's learned how to milk the system,\" the ad states.The attack on Nelson is not coming from his opponent, Connie Mack, but rather from a super political action committee called American Crossroads.\"He leased land that he owned for six cows, taking advantage of an agricultural tax loophole to dodge $43,000 dollars in taxes last year,\" the ad goes on to say.As the ad plays, mythical creatures like Bigfoot and the Florida skunk ape can be seen in the background.Did Bill Nelson take advantage of a tax loophole to avoid paying higher taxes?  The truth meter rings true.The land in question is along the Indian River just south of Melbourne.  The area is where Nelson grew up and has been farm or pasture land since 1924.According to property tax records, the market value off the 55-acre property is $2.76 million, but because of the agricultural exemption, the taxable value is just over $210,000.It means Nelson's tax bill is not the more than $45,000 it would have been.  Instead, it's just over $3,700.If the exemption makes you mad, be mad at Florida lawmakers, most of them Republicans, who think there's no problem with that exemption.\"Then he sold the land for a home development, pocketing at least $1.4 million,\" the ad says.Did Nelson make money selling the land for some homes?   The truth meter again rings true.However, the homes on the area number less than a handful.  To call it a home development and implying it's a subdivision?  The language in that claim rings false.\"Worse, Nelson twice voted for a massive tax hike that would devastate Florida farms and ranches,\" the ad continues.Is it true Nelson voted for massive tax hikes?  The meter will hover in the middle for now, because, it depends who is getting taxed.It is true that Nelson voted for a tax reform measure during the summer that would increase taxes for those earning more than $200,000 a year, but would that same measure hurt middle- and lower-income families?In July, Nelson voted for the controversial Senate Bill 3412, titled the \"Middle Class Tax Cut.\"  According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, it would provide education and other tax relief but only a temporary extension of certain tax cuts, like the Alternative Minimum Tax. Small-business groups said that and the exclusion of the estate tax could devastate family farm operations.   According to On The Issues, Nelson has been flip-flopping for years on the estate tax, also known by its opponents as the death tax.  He now said he supports repealing it.In 2007, he voted no on a proposed amendment to the congressional budget that would have repealed the estate tax.A couple of years ago, Nelson also voted no on the Tax Extenders Act, which would have given a five-year extension on depreciation of equipment for farming businesses.\"Bill Nelson.  Tax breaks and big profits for him.  Higher taxes than the rest of us,\" the ad finishes.The ad also shows cartoon dialog boxes that appear to have cows talking.  The claim is almost more believable than someone having two homestead exemptions, but Nelson's opponent, Mack, does have two homestead exemptions.Mack and his wife, California U.S. Rep. Mary Mack, have homes they claim as homesteads in two different states to save tax money."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.wesh.com/article/truth-test-american-crossroads-claims-nelson-stole-money-from-fla/4418919>