BISMARCK – The North Dakota State House approved a bill Tuesday that would require counties to levy a maximum of up to two mills of property tax for a joint water resource board.
Senate Bill 2372 would require all districts within the Souris River, Red River, James River, Missouri River, and Devils Lake drainage basins to form and remain a member of a joint water resource board. The county commissioners within the respective areas would be required to tax no more than two mills of the real property within each joint board’s respective drainage basin.
“The levy would go into effect after basin boards are formed and county commissioners in each basin approve a levy of an amount not to exceed that two mills,” said Rep. Jared Hagert, R-Dis. 20, Emerado.
“We have been told on the floor of this assembly that we do not levy property taxes,” said Rep. Larry Bellew, R-Dis. 38, Minot. “Even though we are not directly levying them in this bill, we are telling them they shall levy them. To me that is a levy. This is a property tax increase, and considering the crushing burden of property taxes and the staggering rate at which they have been increasing, we don’t need to encourage locals to raise property taxes.”
Hagert said passing the bill would align the joint water resource boards with the State Water Commission on how they handle drainage.
“The formation of this basin approach allows more conversation, more clarity on how water projects are done,” said Hagert.
The bill passed by a vote of 65 to 25. If both chambers agree on the amendments, it will be sent to the governor’s office for consideration.
