North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum used his State of the State address today (Tuesday) to challenge lawmakers to take the final step in eliminating the state’s income tax.
Doug Burgum says North Dakota has the revenue and resources to say goodbye to the tax once and for all.
The governor says while the state can control income taxes it can’t control property taxes at the local level.
With reserves exceeding $1.3 billion and general fund revenues already running more than $154 million, or 11%, ahead of forecast just six months into the two-year budget cycle, Burgum renewed the call for North Dakota to become the 10th state to eliminate individual state income tax as a way to save taxpayers money and boost workforce recruitment and retention. Last April, the Legislature passed and Burgum signed a $515 million income and property tax package that included a record $358 million in income tax relief, effectively eliminating the individual income tax for 3 out of 5 North Dakota taxpayers.
“We have taken incremental steps for far too long. It is time we say goodbye to the state income tax. This is a tax collected by the state, controlled by the state and used by the state – so the time is now to tell our citizens, your money belongs in your pockets,”
In a lengthy speech that lasted nearly two hours the governor says North Dakota is the best of America. Burgum told an audience in Dickinson that one of the biggest challenges is believing in ourselves.
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