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Who is representing the Minot taxpayer?

Dean Somerville

Minot

The above information is to provide comparison on property tax increases of the larger cities in western North Dakota.

When I look at the Ward County tax statement and taxes by district, which includes the city, county, park, school and state, the city of Minot has by far the largest increase. It turns out to be a 4.7 million dollar or 27.20% increase in our real estate tax statement. We in Minot ended up with about a 25% increase in residential and a 27% increase in commercial, which in the last 16 years I don’t recall a double digit increase let alone a 25% increase. I realize we have had some difficulties like the decrease in sales tax receipts, which included some property tax relief. This also means there have been a decrease in business income and an increase in business closings and vacancies. Is this a good time to tax commercial 27%? The taxpayer on fixed income or retired has to live within their income without the ability to raise taxes. They have to prioritize their spending. Is it too much to ask the city to do the same under our downturn in economy? What about delaying projects, purchases, new programs, such as new sanitation pickups or landfill purchases.

I attended a budget meeting when the council voted to decrease the employee wage increase from 3.5% to 1.75%. It passed and after the vote, council members (Olson & Podrygula) asked the city manager if he could come up with $550,000 to restore the employee wage increase to 3.5%. The first thing he mentioned was to delay projects. The next meeting there was $550,000 for employees increase. It was then voted on and turned down. Instead of decreasing the budget $550,000 it went back to where it came from. It told me two things (1) that $550,000 seemed easy to come up with when asked and (2) council members are OK with a 27.20% increase in revenue.

Why does Minot have the largest tax increase of the western cities and who is representing the Minot taxpayers?

I hope there is enough concern so Minot taxpayers ask candidates in the next election where they stand on property tax.

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