Little relief for taxpayers
Elimination of 12 percent credit hampers tax cut efforts
BY ALYSSA MEIER
BHG News Service
County taxpayers will likely feel little-to-no reprieve in 2018 property taxes, as belt tightening in local budgets was curbed by the elimination of a 12 percent State tax-relief credit.
McLean County Auditor Les Korgel said taxpayers will feel the full brunt of their property taxes for the first time in several years, as the State Legislature terminated a program that covered over a tenth of the their annual taxes.
“In previous years, the state paid a 12 percent credit to property owners, but that was discontinued this year,” Korgel said.
During the most recent legislative season, the North Dakota Legislature opted to eliminate the tax credit, compensating by taking over control of county social services programs.
Korgel said the elimination of the tax credit made it more difficult to lower taxes in the county, even when significant cuts were made. He said that the change meant entities levying the exact same amount as last year were guaranteed to see a jump in taxes.
