The full picture · 2 sources
Burleigh County to reimburse entities for $900,000 tax calculation error
Updated Oct 20, 10:39 AM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.
What the primary sources show
- Burleigh County made a calculation error while determining the 2025 property tax mill levy, resulting in less revenue collected than cities, schools, and other taxing districts requested. [KFYR-TV] [North Dakota's Watchdog Update]
- The error involved incorrectly including mobile home values and in-lieu-of-tax payments in the mill levy calculation, which artificially lowered the county-wide tax rate. [North Dakota's Watchdog Update]
- Local entities affected by the shortfall include the City of Bismarck, City of Lincoln, Bismarck Parks and Recreation, public school systems, and emergency service districts. [North Dakota's Watchdog Update]
- The county's auditor office was bypassed during the mill levy calculation process, with duties handled by an interim finance official instead. [North Dakota's Watchdog Update]
- The county's State's Attorney advised commissioners that the county has a responsibility to make up the difference from the calculation error. [KFYR-TV]
What they left out / still unanswered
- What is the exact final reimbursement amount and when will payments be made?
- How will this use of general fund reserves impact the county's budget and reserves going forward?
- Will there be any changes to county procedures to prevent similar mill levy calculation errors?
Official line vs. how each source framed it
- KFYR-TV: KFYR-TV reported the county's decision to reimburse affected entities and quoted the State's Attorney affirming the county's legal responsibility to correct its error. Read it → · Ads
- North Dakota's Watchdog Update: Watchdog Update examined the governance breakdown behind the error, focusing on how the auditor was statutorily required but completely bypassed, raising questions about who had authority to calculate tax levies. Read it →
701 News writes these summaries from the sources above and checks every sentence against them. Read the originals for the full reporting. Corrections