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property under this subdivision must present the question at the election for a yes <br /> or no vote on the question: <br /> Shall the governing body of [name of county or city] be empowered to grant <br /> property tax exemptions upon application of new or expanding retail sector <br /> businesses? <br /> Only a governing body of a city or county that meets the requirements of this <br /> subdivision may grant a partial or complete exemption from ad valorem taxation <br /> under this section for a project operating in the retail sector. Criteria established <br /> by the governing body under this subdivision, at a minimum, must be intended to <br /> require: <br /> (1) Evaluation of the potential positive or adverse consequences for existing <br /> retail sector businesses in the municipality from granting the exemption; <br /> (2) Evaluation of the short-term and long-term effects for other property <br /> taxpayers in the municipality from granting the exemption; <br /> (3) A written agreement with the project operator, including performance <br /> requirements for which the exemption may be terminated by the governing <br /> body of the municipality if those requirements are not met; and <br /> (4) Evaluation of whether the project operator would locate the project within <br /> the municipality without the exemption. <br /> 2. In addition to, or in lieu of, a property tax exemption granted under this section, a <br /> municipality may establish an amount due as payments in lieu of ad valorem taxes on <br /> buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements used in the operation of a project. <br /> The governing body of the municipality shall designate the amount of the payments for <br /> each year and the beginning year and the concluding year for payments in lieu of <br /> taxes, but the option to make payments in lieu of taxes under this section may not <br /> extend beyond the twentieth year from the date of commencement of project <br /> operations. To establish the amount of payments in lieu of taxes, the governing body of <br /> the municipality may use actual or estimated levels of assessment and taxation or may <br /> establish payment amounts based on other factors. The governing body of the <br /> municipality may designate different amounts of payments in lieu of taxes in different <br /> years to recognize future project expansion plans or other considerations. <br /> 3. By November first of each year, the municipality that granted the option to make <br /> payments in lieu of taxes shall certify to the county auditor the amount of payments <br /> in lieu of taxes due under this section in the following year. After receiving the <br /> statement from the municipality, the county auditor shall certify the payments in lieu of <br /> taxes to the county treasurer for collection at the time when, and in the manner in <br /> which, ad valorem taxes must be certified. Upon receipt by the county treasurer of the <br /> amount of payments in lieu of taxes under this section, the county treasurer shall <br /> apportion and distribute that amount to taxing districts on the basis on which the <br /> general real estate tax levy is apportioned and distributed. The municipality may enter <br /> into a written agreement with the local school district and any other local taxing <br /> districts that wish to enter the agreement for an alternate method of apportionment and <br /> distribution. If such an agreement is entered into, the county treasurer shall apportion <br /> and distribute the money according to the written agreement. All provisions of law <br /> relating to enforcement, administration, collection, penalties, and delinquency <br /> proceedings for ad valorem taxes apply to payments in lieu of taxes under this section. <br /> However, the discount for early payment of taxes under section 57-20-09 does not <br /> apply to payments in lieu of taxes under this section. The buildings, structures, fixtures, <br /> and improvements comprising a project for which payments in lieu of taxes are <br /> allowed under this section must be excluded from the valuation of property in the <br /> taxing district for purposes of determining the mill rate for the taxing district. <br /> 4. Negotiations with potential project operators for tax exemption or payments in lieu of <br /> taxes must be carried on by the city council or commission if the project is proposed to <br /> be located within the boundaries of a city, and by the board of county commissioners if <br /> the project is proposed to be located outside the corporate limits of any city. A partial <br /> exemption must be stated as a percentage of the total ad valorem taxes assessed <br /> Page No.4 <br />