N.D. tax breaks voted down

BISMARCK — A bill to suspend the state’s income tax that was voted out of the House Finance and Taxation Committee failed during the House floor session Monday by a 23-62 vote.

The bill would have suspended the state’s income tax, reducing the state’s general fund revenue by $137 million for the upcoming biennium.

House Bill 1182 came out of committee with a 14-0 do not pass recommendation.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, told the committee members, “the bill is big, bold and aggressive, but yet responsible.”

Monday, he told the entire House body nine states do not have a personal income tax with two other state legislatures mulling over the idea.

He said many states producing large revenues from energy production, like oil, have replaced their income tax with drilling revenues.

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