Mandan Walmart Will Receive Tax Exemption - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Mandan Walmart Will Receive Tax Exemption

A new Walmart that will be built in Mandan will receive a tax exemption.

The Mandan City commission met tonight and after a long heated discussion, they vote to give Wal Mart a tax break to come to town.

"The motion on table was 100 percent for two years was voted on and passed, three to two," Mayor Arlyn Van Beek said.

And with that, the decision was made.

The original recommendation would've given Walmart a full 100% exemption the first two years, and then decrease by 25% the next three years.

"You have a major corporation that has never ever received a property tax exemption in the state of North Dakota, there's no reason to," Susan Beehler said.

While some oppose the plan that passed, others say it's fair.

"What they proposed is a good alternative and that's what we've been giving for the larger apartments and stuff like that," Mandan Building Official Richard Barta said.

People stepped up to the microphone voicing their concerns about the tax exemption for the big box store.

"Citizen's are getting tired of having to keep pulling the bill and pulling the cart for all the tax exemptions that keep getting given away in the city, that's all I want to say," One Citizen said. A Wal Mart spokesperson also commented at the meeting, saying that the 11 Wal Mart stores in North Dakota continue to bring in a lot of money.

"In North Dakota during the last fiscal year Walmart collected almost 50 million dollars in sales tax revenue."

He says, this new Walmart could help continue to strengthen North Dakota's economy.

Construction on the new walmart should be done by the fall of 2013.