The North Dakota Senate Majority and Minority Leaders agree on the need for property tax cuts and allowing oil producing counties to keep more of the oil taxes generated by drilling and production.
Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner (R-Dickinson) says property tax relief will be a big issue in this year’s Legislative session. Wardner says the current plan – where the state is funding 70 percent of the cost of local schools, which requires the school districts to lower their mill levies, has helped keep property taxes down.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple is proposing further spending on schools to lower that mill levy further.
"Property taxes are really not the responsibility of the state," said Wardner. "However, because we do have a charge, a mandate to take care bof education in the state, we can buy down those property taxes. Do I think that's the only thing we will end up doing? No -- but it's a good start."
Wardner says there will also be proposals to cut income and corporate taxes. And he says he likes those ideas.
"We're looking to encourage people to move to this state," said Wardner. "And anything we can do to encourage them to come, we're going to do."
Senate Minority Leader Mac Schneider (D-Grand Forks) says while he can support reductions in property and income taxes, he doesn't like the idea of cutting corporate taxes.
"We're talking about tax cuts for Walmart," said Schneider. "We believe those tax cuts should go to hard working North Dakotans and North dakota property owners, in the form of deeper property tax cuts."
Schneider says one of hs top priorities is to help the oil producing counties keep more of the oil tax money -- and use it for infrastructure needs.
"There's no reason why those communities have to come hat-in-hand every two years and go through the appropriations process," said Schneider. "Those funds should be there, so they can address needs as they come up."
Schneider says there is broad agreement to do more in the oil patch. He says the arguments will come over just how much of the tax revenue stays in the affected counties.