By Allison Hurtado | Ahwatukee Foothills News
Wilson Gee may be forced to pay up to $1.6 million in tax benefits to the county for closing the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course according to an Arizona statute that has never been used before, the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office said.
The statute, 42-13154 was created in 1985 to help golf courses be more profitable. It gives golf course owners a tax benefit, $500 per acre, as long as they operate as a golf course. If owners decide to close a course, the statute says they must pay back 10 years of that tax benefit plus interest and a penalty.
David Boisvert, chief appraiser for Maricopa County, says his office has calculated that to be about $1.6 million.
