BISMARCK – The North Dakota House Finance and Taxation Committee on Monday approved a "do pass" recommendation for a resolution seeking to repeal a statewide property tax levy that is a source of funding for UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
The resolution, which passed the Senate floor 29-18 on March 13, was introduced to the House on March 14.
The committee voted 12-1 with one abstention for a "do pass" recommendation on Senate Concurrent Resolution 4019. The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Jordan Kannianen, R-Stanley, would place the property tax levy’s fate in the hands of North Dakota’s voters in the general election.
The one-mill levy generates approximately $11 million in revenue for UND’s School of Medicine each biennium, according to its sponsors.
Courtney Koeble, executive director of the North Dakota Medical Association, argued in favor of amending the resolution to delay its effective date, should it pass.
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“In talking with some of the sponsors and the tax department, they did suggest that we could change the date it takes effect," she said. “The information I got from the tax department was that it would have no effect on this biennium’s budget if we change the date to December 31, 2026.”
Rep. Zachary Ista, D-Grand Forks, asked about the rationale behind delaying the resolution’s effective date.
Said Koeble: "If you change the effective date, it won’t take effect until the next legislative session, which is when you’ll be looking at the higher-ed budget again. We’ll know if the resolution passed, so then we can say ‘oh, we need another $11 million in appropriations.’”
Committee members approved the amendment by a count of 13-0, with one abstention.
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