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Senate proposal to require most mill levies to be reapproved every 10 years fails in committee after amendments
Summary
Senator Brent Hertz said Senate Bill 204 would require most mill levies to be reapproved every 10 years; the committee approved amendments exempting school and community college levies but the final roll-call vote failed 5–6.
Senate Bill 204, sponsored by Senator Hertz, would have required most local mill levies to come up for voter reapproval every 10 years, with exemptions for bonded levies. During executive action the committee adopted two sponsor amendments by voice: one to exempt school levies and a second to exempt community-college levies.
Senator Hertz said the change came from the property tax task force and would give voters "a choice to relook at what they've already approved in our communities." He told the committee the bill applies to both new levies going forward and existing levies, which would be phased in and subject to voter review.
Committee debate was split. Opponents warned the measure could be a state overreach that ties the hands of local elected officials; Senator Pope said he would vote no on principle because the state should be cautious about mandates on local governments. Supporters argued the measure restores voter control over levies many residents discover only after they appear on property-tax bills.
The committee proceeded to a roll-call vote. Recorded votes were: Vice Chair Beard — yes; Vice Chair Weber — no; Senator Trevis — yes; Senator Pope — no; Senator Ellsworth — no (by proxy); Senator Hertz — yes; Senator Fern — no; Senator Lammers — no; Senator Bogner — yes (by proxy); Senator Boldman — no (by proxy); Chairman Mandeville — yes. The chair announced: "5 have voted yes. 6 have voted no. The bill has not passed."
