https://www.gosanangelo.com/videos/news/2018/03/30/how-flds-church-impacted-small-texas-town/33431039/

The YFZ Ranch is a 1,691-acre tract with space enough for a self-sustaining community and an orchard filled with trees of apples, peaches and pears.

Now empty, all that remains is a towering white stone temple and numerous buildings, a majority that were used for housing.

The state of Texas seized the property in April 2013 after church leaders stuck by polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs’ "answer them nothing" order and did not contest the forfeiture filed by then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in 2012.

Jeffs, who was known to visit the YFZ Ranch, is serving life plus 20 years in prison for raping two girls — one age 12, the other 15 — he had taken as polygamous brides. Jeffs must serve at least 45 years in prison before being eligible for release, at which time he will be 100 years old.

Abbott said the numerous cases of child sexual assault perpetrated on the ranch made the property “contraband,” and a default judgment of forfeiture was signed in January 2014 by 51st District Judge Barbara Walther in San Angelo.

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Because the state is exempt from paying taxes on the property, Schleicher County has not collected tax money on the YFZ Ranch since its seizure.

“With the state taking it over, it really, really hurt,” Doyle said. “Hurt this whole community bad. The state’s taken it over ... and they haven’t done a damn thing with it for the most part of it, except let it rot.”

An experienced pilot, Doyle said from the air he could see the poor shape of the existing buildings made mostly of wood. He has flown over the ranch numerous times — often for media outlets wanting aerial photos of the property.

“The county’s losing taxes, the city’s losing taxes, the school’s losing taxes and the state is just letting it rot,” he said. “Plus, we’re still stuck with it because the sheriff still has to guard it.”

Billy Collins, former superintendent of Schleicher County Independent School District, said at the time of the seizure, the district expected to lose 5 to 10 percent of its operating budget because of the state’s tax exemption.

The district was collecting about $400,000 annually in taxes from the property before it was seized, said current Superintendent Robert Gibson.

Counties are going to be more reluctant to prosecute polygamous groups if it will cost them taxes in addition to the extra social burden.