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Emmons County approves equalization; assessor warns new law will raise mailing costs and proposes parcel fee increase
Summary
County approved equalization and the homestead/disabled veteran credit list while the assessor warned House Bill 1176 will drive up postage and recommended raising the per-parcel assessment charge to offset costs.
Emmons County commissioners approved the county’s equalization and evaluation assessments for the coming year and voted to approve homestead and disabled veteran property tax credits on the assessor’s list.
County Assessor Chris reviewed the overall revaluation results and told commissioners residential dwelling values rose roughly 10 percent in rural parcels and the county’s combined assessment level reached about 91.5 percent—near the state’s tolerance thresholds. Assessor Chris said land and commercial values largely held while sales-driven residential increases were the primary driver.
The assessor told the board the state legislature increased the maximum reduction for disabled veteran property tax credits to $9,000; homestead credit rules remain unchanged. Commissioners voted to approve the listed homestead and veteran credits and to accept the property tax exemption list; both motions carried by voice votes.
Chris also warned about new state requirements in House Bill 1176 that force the assessment office to mail individualized notices showing each parcel’s prior-year and current value to every parcel owner. The assessor said the change will expand next year’s mailings from a few hundred letters to more than 10,500, adding roughly $7,000 in postage and production costs to the assessor’s office budget.
To offset the expense, the assessor presented a survey of other North Dakota counties’ fees for assessing municipal parcels and proposed increasing the city/township per-parcel assessment billing from $1 to $2 and adding mileage/travel charges for on-site work. The board asked staff to study the proposal further; no ordinance or fee change was adopted at the meeting.
After discussion the board approved the county’s equalization and evaluation assessments by motion. Commissioners emphasized they opposed large, abrupt tax increases but said the county had to meet state tolerance requirements to avoid more severe state intervention.
The assessor said staff will return with more precise cost estimates and a proposal for a revised parcel charge for formal consideration; commissioners also asked staff to delay approving individual revaluation changes until the October hearing window if residents wished to dispute notices.
