Property Tax Measure Fails in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — In unofficial vote counting, North Dakota Measure 4 which would have done away with property taxes, has failed.

The vote was 63% against to 36% for the measure with 242 out of 385 precincts reporting.

Both supporters and opponents have been outspoken about the measure leading up to the election.

If it would have passed, the state would have had to reimburse local governments every year by an amount no less then the property taxes those entities levy for the 2024 tax year.

A senior fiscal analyst for the Legislative Council told lawmakers in June that it could cost the state about $1.3 billion in revenue every year.

Residential property taxes account for only about a third of that with the rest coming from agricultural and commercial property taxes.

Rick Becker, chair of the property tax initiative’s sponsoring committee, has said it would correct a system that overburdens homeowners and lets big businesses off easy.

He said the state could make up any lost revenue by dipping into its reserve funding.

Several business groups were against the measure.