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Newspaper Archive of
Golden Valley News
Beach, North Dakota
September 28, 2017     Golden Valley News
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September 28, 2017
 
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September 28, 2017 Golden Valley News Page 3 I / : i (; if: i CPAs recognized for Iongtime memberships Jim Wosepka, at far right, is recognized earlier this month for being a member of the North Dakota CPA Society for 40 years at its convention in Grand Forks. He has been in practice in Beach for 32 years. Also recognized, from left, are Rodney Medalen and Derrel Britsch, both with 50 years of membership, and Mary Abbott, with 20 years. (Courtesy Photo) Property tax relief increased in 2017 session Property taxes are a hot topic right now, especially in communities where property tax increases are being considered. Without exception, no one likes taxes, especially property taxes. That said, property taxes are necessary to fund local schools, law enforcement, emergency services and infrastruc- ture. It is important to remember that responsibility for determining the :,ppropriate use and rate of property ax rests solely with local voters and ~lected officials. As part of that debate, the ques- tion has been asked as to what role, if any, the state should play in the as- sessment, collection and spending of local property taxes? That is a great question. Property taxes are levied and spent by local governments. The state has little, if any, control or oversight of local property taxes, valuations or spefiding. Nonetheless, the Legislature heard the concerns of property own- ers across North Dakota and, for over a decade, has been committed to doing all it can to reduce your local property tax burden. In fact, contrary to what you may have read in the media, the Legislature once again increased the amount spent on property tax relief in the 2017 ses- sion to $1.29 billion. It all started in 2007. The Legis- lature passed the very first attempt to help reduce the burden of property taxes. This approach provided an in- ,-ome tax credit equal to 10 percent of your property tax bill. In 2009, we Other Views By Sen. Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, and Rep. A1 Carlson, R-Fargo provided property tax mill levy re- duction grants to local school dis- tricts. We quickly realized that in the absence of any real control over local spending, tax rates or valuation increases, the state was on an unsus- tainable course. So, in 2013, the Legislature moved to make property tax relief permanent by incorporating it into the school foundation aid formula and requiring schools to reduce their property taxes by 1'25 mills. In 2017, we also replaced the 12 percent property tax buydown with perma- nent state funding for county social services, which covered up to 20 mills in county property taxes. What does this mean for property taxpayers today? During the 2015 session, legisla- tors provided $1.24 billion in prop- erty tax relief, including $977 million in school tax relief, $241 million to ft]nd a 12 percent property tax buydown and $23 million to cover the costs of county child wel- fare and elderly services. During the 2017 session, legisla- tors provided $1.29 billion in prop- erty tax relief, including $1.13 bil- lion in school tax relief, $160 million to cover the costs of county social services and another $23 million for county child welfare and elderly services. In total, we increased state funded local property tax relief by $51 million during the 2017 session compared to the 2015 session. No gimmicks, no funny numbers, just the facts that show our real commitment to property tax relief, even during difficult times. But our work did not end there. We also passed property tax reforms including the truth in taxation legis- lation, which requires local govern- ment to notify taxpayers of all local taxes to be assessed and requires property tax statements to clearly show the taxes levied in dollars, not mills. As local communities and voters evaliaate their current property tax assessments, remember that any in- crease at the local level is likely in- crease in taxation by your local government and not the effect of state property tax relief reductions. Of course, the effect on individual local taxing entities may vary, but the combined effect should be rev- enue neutral on your property tax bill. While painful, we encourage local elected officials to make spending cuts before increasing property taxes. We balanced the state budget without a tax increase and we think our state is better for it. An old camp brings b Hello, Last fall I had a chance to revisit the old Smith Camp on Fort Berthold. It was one of the first cow camps in that part of the country. I think the Keogh's were among the first to make it kind of a headquar- ters on the reservation. But I'm sure there were ranchers before them. For the better part of a century, it was a camp where you could put your horse in a barn, go into a log cabin and get a cup of hot coffee, or find shelter from a storm. It lies just below the Kennedy Hills, about 15 miles northeast of the Lost Bridge. It was there long before the highway or the bridge. Located .just south of Squaw Creek, it was a place of good shelter, and more im- portantly, good water, with a won- derful spring just below it. There is not much there anymore. A few poles where the corral stood. You can still see the remnants of the old barn that sheltered many a tired saddle horse. The once welcoming cabin has pretty much gone back to nature. But I could sense the pres- ence of a few of those tough, gritty cowboys that shed a winter coat, or a rain jacket, and grabbed a cup of strong, hot coffee in that old cabin. I remember riding there forty-five years or better ago. Fall roundup. And the rains came kind of like they did last week. Rain was running off your hat and dripping down inside your slicker. Your chaps were shed- ding some water, but more than a lit- tle was finding its way into your wranglers and boots. We'd started riding before day- light. Trucks and trailers were parked up by the highway near the county line. We had gathered and sorted the flat above Yellow Wolf's and went down to the Smith Camp for lunch. Hat Tips By Dean Meyer It was a Friday and this rain looked like it would last for a couple days. We were young and knew Grandpa Jack would call the roundup off until Monday. As we sat in that cabin drinking black coffee and talk- ing about horses, cows, and girls, we kept glancing out at the rain. It was really coming down now. You could barely see the horses tied down by the barn. Some were in the shelter; more were standing there getting the saddles soaked. Lighting cracked and thunder roared. But we felt good. It would be a wet ride back to the outfits, but then we could get home, take a hot shower, and be in Killdeer by night- fall. As we finished that last cup of coffee, Grandpa Jack stood up, stretched, and said, "You and Red go down by the rock crossing, gather those cows and push them down the creek. Bob, you take a couple guys Rent this space for only a few dollars a 872-3755 for more details memories and go north. We'll meet down on the creek and work those cattle. Shouldn't take more than five or six hours." He got on Joey and started off at a trot down the coulee. My eyes were wet and it wasn't, all from rain. Later, Dean North Dakota rural health faces major issues North Dakota rural health faces at least four major challenges, accord- ing to Brad Gibbens, deputy director of the UND School of Medicine Cen- ter for Rural Health. Brad has spent 32 years research- ing and leading community discus- sions on the state's rural health problems with the goal of facilitating local responses to those challenges. Here are his challenges: 1. Keeping rural health systems viable. For much of rural North Dakota the 36 identified critical access hos- pitals are cornerstones of the local health system. Not only are these hospitals crucial to the patients they serve but they are primary support for community nursing homes, at- tracting health care professionals, the success of Emergency Medical Serv- ices units, and spreading the gospel of good health. When hospitals close, the whole community health system suffers. The Affordable Care Act, more commonly called Obamacare, has helped hospital bottom lines and the Medicaid,expansion approved by Governor Jack Dalrymple gave in- surance to 20,000 low income folks who can now go to clinics instead of waiting until they must go to emer- gency rooms. The condition of the critical ac- cess hospitals has improved from 2014 when only 22 percent operated in the black and 2016 when 54 per- cent were out of the red. But more is left to be done if all critical access hospitals are to continue. 2. Recruiting an adequate health workforce While Dean John Wynne of the UND School of Medicine has devel- oped creative ways to expand the number of doctors for rural areas, the local communities must attract health workers, including paramedics, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assis- tants, mental health professionals and skilled maintenance personnel. Medical students may now opt for free tuition in exchange for four years of service in rural communities. More students are participating in rural partnerships with doctors in rural areas to learn lifestyles in rural areas. Emergency Medical Service units, staffed by all-volunteers, are finding it more and more difficult to recruit full crews in rural areas that are now suffering from the outmigration that is draining the pool of possible re- cruits. The key to recruitment of medical professionals for rural areas is find- ing young people who know and love their rural lifestyle - and then raising financial support to help them get the necessary education 3. The behavioral health challenge The mushrooming addiction to al- cohol and drugs throughout the state is particularly challenging in rural areas. North Dakota leads the nation in binge drinking and a plethora of drugs are readily accessible to will- ing buyers. Business is so good we even have witnessed murders among the drug dealers. So an addict overdoses and ends up in the rural hospital emergency room. After the addict is stabilized, incarceration has becomes the only alternative for management of the problem. The last session of the Legislature took major steps to turn the comer on incarceration of addicts by providing the alternative of release and super- vision. Perhaps, this approach needs to be extended to the local penal sys- tem. 4. The challenge of depopulation The viability of rural health care is threatened by unrelenting depopu- lation. As the demographics change, rural areas are ending up with older and smaller clienteles, meaning fewer customers for medical serv- ices. We are still absorbing the impact of the Bakken boom on health serv- ices. The increase in the number of young men and women in the west- ern areas of the state may balance out the aging population. Solutions to many facets of these challenges rest in the development strategies and leadership in rural communities. "At community strategy meetings, I tell folks straight out that not Wash- ington, or Bismarck, or the Med School has the answers," Brad as- serts. "The solutions lie in the com- munities themselves." Counties anticipate property tax challenges To the editor: ties have no control over social serv- It's that time of year, 'when the ices. These services and their costs words "ProPerty taxes" are a big are controlled by federal and state topic of conversation, it's that time mandates. For that reason, counties when your local governments are do not feel property taxes are the ap- setting their budgets for 2018 and propriate source of revenue. are making tough budget decisions. This is a two-year pilot project. Each county, city, school and park Over the next two years, counties board is setting its budgets based on will not levy for social services and needs and public support for sere- instead those services will be funded ices. with state dollars. Prior to this leg- There are some important islative action, counties were al- changes in the upcoming budget lowed under state code to levy up to cycle that will impact your property 20 mills for social services. Since taxes based on legislative actions each county levied a different this past session. Your local deci- amount, the amount of property tax sion-makers are taking those relief will differ county-by-county changes into consideration. Coun- and may not equal what citizens re- ties, like state government, are ex- ceived under the 12 - percent prop- periencing significant reductions in erty tax buydown plan. non-property tax revenues that have It's important to recognize the been impacted by changes in our level of property tax relief provided state's economy, by the Legislature over the last sev- The biggest change for taxpayers eral years. Lawmakers' actions to however is the loss of the 12 percent fund social services is in addition to state-paid property tax credit. You the commitment they have made to may recall from your last several reduce the property tax burden by property tax statements that there funding a greater share of the local has been a line stating: "Less: 12% cost of education.Together they total state-paid tax credit." Lawmakers $1.3 billion in property tax relief in recognized last session that this tax the next biennium. The tax relief credit was not sustainable for the fu- they have passedon to you will be ture with the dramatic reduction in noted on the top of your tax state- state oil tax revenues, so they re- ment. pealed it in favor of a smaller but Local governments make their more permanent form of property decisions based on feedback from tax reform. Going forward, the state the public. And that's very impor- will fund county social services. We tant. Local governments have trans- feel this is appropriate because coun- parency. Your voice does matter in GET AN AD THISiSIZI foryour community event, / / : % Christmas page6bt , special celebration, or any other need! This ad runs for $700 or less! Contact the N.D. this process. Property taxes fund pretty much every service you depend on at the local level. It is law enforcement protection, jails, local highway and road maintenance, snow removal, elections, fire protection, ambulance, public schools, public health, transit local parksand recreation, county fairs and .so much more I hope this information helps you' understand your property taxes and the changes that may affect them. Mprk Johnson Executive Director North Dakota Association of Counties Van or Bus Service Billings County Golden Valley County Distance of 160 Miles CALL: 701-872:3836 Our board meets at 9:30 a.m first Tuesday of each month at 701 S. CentraJ Ave Beach. The public is invited! Have something that may be newsworthy that you'd like to share or submit to the Golden Valley News or the Billings County Pio.- neer? We won't know about it unless you tell us, and we welcome submitted news items! It's easy. Just give us a call, e-mail your item and a phone number, or mail a photo and the text that goes along with it. Golden Valley News/Billings County Pioneer: P.O. Box 156, Beach, ND 58621 (701) 872-3755; goldenandbillings@gmail.com I MPORTANT NOTICE TO GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTY TAXPAYERS A public hearing to consider increasing the 2017 Golden Valley County Property Tax levy by 7.73% will be held at the Commissioner Room of the Golden Valley County Courthouse, 150 1 st Avenue SE, Beach, North Dakota, on Tuesday October 3, 2017 at 6:00 p.m, Citizens will have an opportunity to present oral or written comments regarding the property tax levy. Questions or comments regarding this notice can be addressed to Tamra Sperry, Golden Valley County Auditor, PO Box 67, Beach, North Dakota, 58621.