Diverse coalition forms to oppose ending property tax

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – The Keep it Local Coalition is constituted of a broad range of members united in their opposition to the End Unfair Property Tax ballot measure in North Dakota.

The coalition includes members from various economic sectors, including agriculture, energy, natural resources and real estate, as well as unions, educators and first responders groups.

Coalition chair Chad Oban says that the reason that they’ve been able to build such a broad coalition is because, as he puts it, the proposed measure eliminating property tax is just a bad idea.

“It’s just not a good idea. And people are very concerned about the fact that this will take $1.3 billion of revenue out of the system, and there’s no plan to replace that at all.” 

Oban says that many people in the coalition believe that some form of property tax relief is needed, however the idea of eliminating property tax without a plan in place to replace those funds isn’t the way to go about it.

“There’s more that certainly can be done, but this is not the solution. There’s no plan to make up this revenue.”

It is estimated that these taxes account for over $1.3 billion per year that go towards funding essential local services.

According to Matt Perdue, the North Dakota Farmers Union Government Relations Director, rural farming communities would be particularly hard hit by eliminating property taxes.

“There is no plan for what we do if we prohibit our political subdivisions from using property taxes. And at the end of the day that’s going to impact rural communities much more than it’s going to impact urban. Plain and simple, there is no plan.”

He says that rural townships rely on these property taxes to keep farm-to-market roads in good condition.

“If you eliminate property tax, if you prohibit that township, if you prohibit that county from utilizing property taxes, you’re taking that base funding away.”