BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — A group pushing to eliminate North Dakota’s property tax officially launched its website and a statewide initiated measure effort today.

The End Unfair Property Tax Committee, led by Bismarck businessman Rick Becker, is seeking signatures for an initiated measure that would eliminate the property tax as a revenue stream for local governments.

The petition needs 31,165 signatures to qualify for an election ballot.

As part of a grassroots approach, the committee is seeking small businesses in North Dakota that will host petition signature collection locations, and volunteers across the state who will sign up to collect 250 signatures per volunteer to ensure the measure makes it to the ballot.

“We will be up against a campaign of confusion and lies, and every bit of support we receive brings us closer to our goal,” Becker said in a news release.

The proposed constitutional amendment states, “The legislative assembly and all political subdivisions may not raise revenue through the levying of any tax on the assessed value of real or personal property.”

The proposal would allow an exception: “A political subdivision may continue to levy tax on the assessed value of real property if the tax was dedicated for the payment of bonded indebtedness incurred [30 days before the approval of the amendment] until such debt is paid.”

How would the property tax revenue be replaced?

According to the petition, “The state shall provide annual property tax revenue replacement payments to political subdivisions in an amount equal to no less than the amount of tax levied
on real property by the political subdivisions, excluding tax levied on real property for the payment of bonded indebtedness.”