North Dakota Senate Advances Property Tax Credit

( By: Michael Achterling. North Dakota Monitor) –  The North Dakota Senate unanimously passed a property tax bill, but adopted major amendments that could set up a conference committee showdown between the House and Senate.

Amendments to House Bill 1176 reduce the maximum primary residence credit from the $1,450 approved by the House to $1,250. Gov. Kelly Armstrong, who backs the original bill, had proposed a credit of up to $1,550 for homeowners.

The Senate also adopted what Senate Majority Leader David Hogue called a “skin-in-the-game” amendment that would limit the credit to 75% of the property owner’s total tax liability. Homeowners would get a minimum tax credit of $500, the same level approved by lawmakers in 2023.

Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said she worries about excluding agricultural property from the tax credit when about 40% of the Legislature represents rural areas. She added rural areas depend more on property taxes than urban areas and excluding agricultural land from the bill puts a greater burden on those taxpayers