Taxes trend higher in Ward County
Property owners to begin receiving 2018 statements
With some rare exceptions, Ward County taxpayers will see higher mill levies and, in most cases, higher taxes when their tax statements begin arriving this coming week.
The Ward County Auditor’s Office reported tax statements have begun going out to property owners.
Residents of the city of Minot living in the Minot Public School District will see a 27.31-mill increase, or about $123 per $100,000 of property value.
A homeowner with a home at the median value of $178,000 in Minot would pay $2,818 in city, county, park board and Minot school taxes. Many homeowners might notice a downward adjustment in house assessments due to the market. Last year the median value was $182,000, but even at the higher value, a homeowner would have paid $2,658, or $160 less than this year at the median value.
The owner of a $178,000 house in the Nedrose School District within Minot would pay $3,028, which is down from last year. The owner of a $178,000 house in the South Prairie School District within Minot would pay $3,185, which is up from last year.
Ward County’s mill levy is up only about half a mill, and Minot Park District is up about a mill, although increases can result from falling property values even when budgets remain flat. Minot Public School District’s levy rose just under 2.5 mills, The bulk of the local increase was a 23-mill increase by the city.
The city’s increase comes on top of a sizable jump last year and reflects lower sales tax collections and budget demands from major projects such as flood protection and the Northwest Area Water Supply project.
Residents of other cities in Ward County are seeing increased mills, with the exception of those Surrey residents in the Nedrose School District, who will benefit from a lower school levy.
Some tax rates for city residents per $100,000 of home value are:
– Burlington, $1,250, up $125.
– Berthold, $1,235, up $35.
– Kenmare, $1,431, up $26.
– Surrey (Surrey School), $1,305, up $48.