Gov. Dalrymple Proposes Plan To Cut Taxes - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Gov. Dalrymple Proposes Plan To Cut Taxes

Governor Jack Dalrymple is proposing a plan that would cut property taxes and income taxes-- for individuals and businesses in North Dakota.

His proposal totals 545 million dollars in cuts.

It expands the homestead tax credit for disabled and senior citizens.

The plan also focuses on education.

Dalrymple says the state should play a greater role in funding education.

Dalrymple wants a 50 percent reduction in the average school district tax levy. He says that would save the owner of a $180,000 home nearly $1,100 in property taxes.

"By the end of 20-15 the amount of taxes that taxpayers in North Dakota will have saved will be approximately $2.25 billion less than they would've paid before these measure first were brought forward a few years ago," Governor Jack Dalrymple said.

Democratic state Sen. Ryan Taylor, who's running against Dalrymple, says the governor is "reacting to issues long after hearing the public outcry."

Taylor says he released his plan more than two months ago.

Meanwhile state lawmakers have been looking at numerous bills to present in the next legislative session to reduce taxes.

News of possibly cutting property taxes for homeowners as well as cutting income taxes is good news for some.

People we spoke with say they're happy to hear the news.

"If it's not going to affect anything then why not reward the residents of Bismarck," Renee Knopf of Bismarck said.

"I think a lot of people would benefit and it would benefit the elderly and who are in a home that whose Property Taxes keep going up as their evaluations keep going up and myself I'm pretty tired of paying a lot of Property Taxes myself," Gil Geffre of Bismarck said.

Dalrymple says that his plan will not hurt schools and they will still receive the same funding.

He says that our economy in North Dakota is what makes these cuts possible.