Tax statements reflect rising government cost
By JILL SCHRAMM, Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.comFact Box
Property tax credit available
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North Dakotans will be able to claim a property-tax credit on their income taxes again next year.
People will use the 2008 tax statements that they received in December 2007 to determine their credits. The credit is equal to 10 percent of residential and agricultural property taxes, up to a maximum of $500 for individuals or $1,000 for married couples filing jointly. Mobile home taxes also qualify for the credit. Businesses can receive a credit equal to 10 percent of the commercial property taxes, up to a maximum of $1,000 for a C corporation and married couples filing jointly or $500 for individuals.
The state granted more than $41 million in property tax relief in the first year of the program.
Property taxes are going up about 4.4 percent on average for Minot residents.
The Ward County Auditor's Office is preparing to mail tax statements before Dec. 23.
A resident of the Minot school district with a home valued at the city average will pay $87 more this year. The figure is based on a consolidated levy of all taxing districts that totals 421.27 mills, up 1.49 mills from last year. Assessed home values in Minot are up 4 percent on average, bringing the average home value to $107,800.
The average 4.4 percent tax increase for Minot residents tracks with an inflation rate of 4.9 percent in September and 3.7 percent in October when governments were finalizing their budgets. As a result of price declines since then, the annual inflation rate through November is 1.1 percent.
Area residents also could see some change in their property taxes. Consolidated levies are down in Berthold, Burlington, Carpio, Des Lacs, Donnybrook, Kenmare and Ryder. They are up slightly in Douglas, Sawyer and Surrey.
Surrey residents will notice little change in their home valuations, while Kenmare valuations are up about 6 percent on average and Burlington 8 percent on average. The valuation of agricultural land will remain unchanged, according to the Ward County Tax Equalization Office.
Minot residents in the South Prairie School District will see a noticeable drop in their school levy, which is down by 20.38 mills or nearly 10 percent. A budgeting error last year raised the South Prairie levy to a level higher than intended. District residents will see that corrected this year.
The consolidated levy for Minot residents in the South Prairie district is down 17 mills overall. Minot residents in the Nedrose School District will see a 2.42-mill increase in their consolidated levy.
Overall, school levies in the county are unchanged or down from last year.
The levy for Minot Public School District is down 1.82 mills. Assuming a valuation change, though, the owner of an average home in Minot will pay $30 more a year to the district.
The school claims 48.6 percent of a Minot property taxpayer's bill. The city accounts for 26.9 percent, parks 7.8 percent and the county and state 16.8 percent. The state levies 1 mill for the medical school.
The City of Minot's levy is down 0.45 of a mill while the park district is up 1.32 mills.
The biggest change is the increase in the county levy by 2.44 mills, or $11.84 for the owner of the average house in Minot. For county residents who pay county park and library levies, the increase is up 2.35 mills from last year.
The change in the county's levy includes 2.5 mills for projects of the water resource board, which requested no levy last year. The weather modification program is up from 0.54 to 1.74 mills The program erred in submitting its levy needs last year and is requesting more than double the amount this year to make up the difference and pay back the county for the loan that it had needed to cover the mistake.
Most township levies remain similar to last year, with a few exceptions. Brillian Township in southeast Ward County was able to drop its levy from 18 to 4 mills, while Foxholm Township is raising its levy from 7.6 to 18 mills to cover road expenses. Harrison Township, near Minot, will be levying 12 mills after having no levy last year because its reserves were at the statutory limit. The township had built up reserves to pay for paving projects completed this year.
