Measure to nix North Dakota property taxes OK’d for circulation

BISMARCK — Supporters of a proposed constitutional initiative to eliminate property taxes in North Dakota can begin circulating petitions to try to bring the matter to voters next year.

Secretary of State Michael Howe on Thursday announced that a required petition title had been approved. The title is a short statement to be included on the petition that sums up the proposed measure. The proposal in short is to “prohibit political subdivisions from levying any tax on real or personal property except for the payment of bonded indebtedness.”

The measure’s 25-member sponsoring committee is led by Rick Becker, a Bismarck plastic surgeon and former Republican state representative who has made previous unsuccessful attempts to spearhead an effort to abolish property taxes.

He believes state revenues can replace perpetually rising local property taxes and take pressure off property owners. Critics including the North Dakota Association of Counties say eliminating property taxes would take power away from local political subdivisions and potentially lead to increases in sales and income taxes.

Measure supporters have one year — until June 29, 2023 — to gather 31,164 valid signatures to get it on either the June 2024 primary ballot or the November 2024 general election ballot. To get the measure on the primary ballot they would need to submit the signatures by Feb. 12. The number of required signatures is 4% of the state population at the 2020 census, 779,094.

North Dakotans in 2012

defeated a similar measure

, with more than 76% of voters rejecting it. Becker argues times have changed, and that voters are dissatisfied with a lack of action by the Legislature to address the root causes of rising property taxes. Some officials including Gov. Doug Burgum believe such reform can only happen at the local level — county, school and park boards.