Anti-unfair property tax group delivers petition to North Dakota secretary of state

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — Supporters of a measure to ban most property taxes in North Dakota have submitted documents to the Secretary of State’s office.

They handed in about 1,100 petitions with nearly 41,000 signatures.

Approximately 31,000 valid signatures are required.

Secretary of State Michael Howe’s office now has 35 days to determine whether the signatures are valid and to put the constitutional initiative to a vote in November.

Former state legislator Rick Becker is the chairman of the committee sponsoring End Unfair Property Tax.

“They lied to us in 2012,” Becker said.

“Twelve years ago they promised relief reform, they didn’t deliver it, so now we accept it. We’re going to give it to ourselves because they wouldn’t give it to us. Because they unfortunately believe that they can spend the money better than us.

A group called Keep It Local North Dakota is against the measure.

The group’s chairman calls it “a bad plan with no plan to replace the $1.3 billion in lost revenue.”