N.D. school property tax subsidy gets support

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota lawmakers said Monday they expect to continue a state program that provides $340 million in property tax subsidies over two years.

A critic of the program says it should be coupled with property tax reform. Dustin Gawrylow (GAWV’-uhr-low) of the North Dakota Taxpayers Association says unless some property tax changes are made, the spending is just a “bailout of local government.”

The subsidies began four years ago. The state funnels money to local schools in exchange for property tax cuts. The House Finance and Taxation Committee held a hearing on the measure Monday.

Gawrylow says county and city governments have used the program to raise their property tax rates, so North Dakotans aren't getting the reductions they should. He says growth of other property taxes should be restrained.

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