2024 RESOLUTIONS BY
THE NORTH DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND
THE NORTH DAKOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION
NDCCA & NDACo Resolution Policy #1
Policies adopted at the NDCCA Annual Business Meeting and the NDACo Delegate Council Meeting shall be in effect for a period of 4 years. Any policy not renewed or modified after that period shall be null and void.
2024-01. Alternatives to Property Tax Funding. North Dakota has traditionally relied upon property tax to fund essential local services. Property tax should be used for services that directly benefit the value of property. This Association supports a review of all current property tax funded services to determine if alternative revenue sources could be used to lessen the burden on the property taxpayer. New Resolution
2024-02. Property Tax Exemptions. Over the years, the State Legislature has passed legislation to provide property tax exemptions. Often these exemptions provide negative impacts to local jurisdictions spreading the tax burden amongst other property owners. This Association supports legislation to provide state funding replacement dollars for state approved exemptions that are passed through legislation in which the local taxing district does not have control over the process. New Resolution.
2024-03. Support for County Infrastructure. Counties provide a crucial component to the State’s Criminal Justice system. Whether it’s jails that house pre-trial prisoners to the courthouses that provide space to the State’s District Court Judges. This Association supports increased State support to offset these costs. New Resolution
2024-04. Support for the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. In 1974 in a case called Kitto v. Minot Park District, the North Dakota Supreme Court ended Sovereign Immunity for political subdivision. Political subdivisions were left with limited options to protect themselves from unpredictable litigation. The creation of NDIRF was a crucial component to bringing budget stability to political subdivisions. This Association opposes any efforts to erode the scope and nature of NDIRF. New Resolution
2024-05. Cooperative sharing of services. Since the passage of the tool chest legislation in the 1980’s local governments have had the ability to share services through joint powers agreements. Although many political subdivisions have taken advantage of these agreements this Association supports further efforts to incentivize and partner with political subdivisions to share services where possible. New Resolution
2024-06. Support for American Energy Independence. A prosperous American economy requires a dependable, adequate, affordable, diverse and domestic supply of energy. This Association supports and promotes domestic energy, using an all-of-the-above strategy, with the goal of energy independence. This Association also supports environmentally friendly programs and policies which will promote energy security, including comprehensive planning, research and development of new energy technologies, renewable energy, and energy efficiency and conservation. New Resolution
2024-07. Support for the United States Postal Service. Since the founding of the Country the US Postal Service has played a vital role in connecting citizens with each other. The US mail not only delivers important personal letters but is vital for delivery of medication, tax documents and election ballots. This Association supports Federal and State efforts to ensure every citizen has reliable and timely mail service. New Resolution
2024-08 Onsite Wastewater Systems. Improper installation of onsite wastewater systems is a health threat to all of North Dakota’s citizens and natural water resources. Over the years a patchwork of regulation has resulted in various standards leading to frustration of regulators, installers, and landowners. This Association supports legislation moving responsibility for uniform statewide minimum standards and installer licensing to a single state agency and provided them with adequate resources to fulfill their responsibilities. Further this Association supports the development and adoption of updated minimum statewide onsite waste-water treatment standards and for uniform statewide educational requirements for licensed installers. However, this Association believes that responsibility for local permitting and inspections remain with the local public health unit and the fees supporting that activity be retained locally. Revised Resolution from 2020-11
2024-09. Foreclosure Properties. Counties are the unit of local government responsible for foreclosing on property for failure of the owner, mortgagee or lienholder to satisfy delinquent property taxes. Too often these foreclosed properties contain conditions such as dilapidated buildings and hazardous materials which require significant expenditures of local funds to improve distressed property forfeited in tax foreclosure. Under current law, the county can assess these reclamation costs back to the original owner, but such a remedy is often inadequate to recover the costs. This Association supports legislation action to develop a statewide fund to help cover the costs for cleanup of these properties and urges greater communication of the existing state and federal (Brownfields) resources already available to address this issue. Revised Resolution from 2019-06