Taxpayer Advocacy Group Calls on Local Officials to Explain Automatic Tax Increases

  Analysis of Property Tax Rates Statewide Since 2002 Revealed

BISMARCK- During the last five years, North Dakotans have faced alarming increases in property taxes.  Americans for Prosperity - North Dakota is calling on local officials to explain why most property tax bills are on the rise, while mill levies are either the same or lower than they were just five years ago. 

"Taxpayers deserve to know what is driving their property taxes up, and it is not just the schools that are to blame," state policy director Dustin Gawrylow said. "When the city, county, and park districts are increasing their demand for property taxes nearly as fast as the school districts an unsustainable injection of state funds is not going to curb the rate at which the property taxes increase."

In February, Governor John Hoeven announced a dangerous plan to drastically increase spending on education in North Dakota.  He has called for a $300 million increase in spending for local education, claiming it will reduce the average mill levy for local property taxpayers by 50 mills. His plan does not address the problem: state and local officials are continuing to spend more money for fewer students producing the same end result.

"We've looked at the numbers provided by the North Dakota League of Cities.  Residents in Bismarck, Williston, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Dickinson are actually paying less in property taxes on a $100,000 house than in 2002.  Residents in Mandan and West Fargo are paying slightly more in property taxes on a $100,000 house than in 2002," Gawrylow said.

"Americans for Prosperity knows this is because property valuations have gone up and that local governments have not reduced the mill levy rate to match these valuations.  We believe it is time for local officials to proactively explain to their voters, why they have allowed these automatic tax increases to occur.  We would also like to know what cities, counties and park districts will do in the future to keep their demands on taxpayers as low as they can be without cutting services," concluded Gawrylow.

The full report on property tax mill levies can be found here.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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