Val Kilmer Lowers Price on New Mexico Ranch

Tough-guy actor Val Kilmer has slashed the asking price on his 6,000-acre New Mexico ranch to $18.5 million, a 44 percent cut from the $33 million price tag the property wore in 2009, according to his agent's website. And the IRS has placed a lien of almost $500,000 on the property for unpaid income taxes in 2008.

The ranch -- about 30 miles east of Santa Fe -- is, by all accounts, a pretty spectacular place with a six-mile trout-fishing river running through it and a four-bedroom 5,500-square-foot main house built of logs. Kilmer had recently converted the ranch into a bed and breakfast, but not before the actor's neighbors took their protests over the project to the national stage.

The neighbors apparently were still holding a grudge after Kilmer described the area as "the homicide capital of the Southwest" in a 2003 Rolling Stone interview, adding that "80 percent of the people in my county are drunk." Compounding Kilmer's strained relations was an Esquire piece published in 2005 that quoted him as saying he knew how to play a Vietnam veteran better than someone who had actually fought in the war because those soldiers were "borderline criminal or poor ... wretched kids," who only served in the military because they "got beat up by their dads" or "couldn't finagle a scholarship." Nice.

A few denials, claims of misquotes and apologies later, peace with the neighbors was restored and the project got its necessary permits.

Which makes us wonder whether the denials, claims of misquotes and apologies will be Kilmer's M.O. for getting out of trouble with the IRS.

The MacGruber and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang star has had a hard time selling the property and owes $498,165 to the IRS for unpaid income taxes -- the amount of a lien filed with the Santa Fe County Clerk's office on Nov. 30. Listed on the lien is his Pecos River Ranch.

The Julliard-trained star paid off a previous tax debt of $538,858 just seven months before the new one was imposed.

Kilmer appears to be working steadily, and in 2009 floated the idea of running for governor of New Mexico. Perhaps he should square off with the IRS first?

C. Patrick Bates of Bates Sanders Swan Land Company in Salt Lake City has the listing.




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