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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger held a hearing in Cooperstown, North Dakota on Friday, July 7, 2017 to address the failure of the Griggs County Commission to produce the 2016 real estate sales records, as required by state law.

“We need this data from Griggs County in order to protect its property taxpayers from unfair property valuations and to fulfill our requirements under the law,” Rauschenberger stated.” Griggs County is the only county that has not submitted their 2016 study data.”

Counties are required to provide a sales, market and productivity study (also known as the sales ratio study) to the Tax Commissioner to ensure that residential, commercial and agricultural property values in the county result in fair and equitable property taxation.

“Since this is the first time a county has failed to comply, it is also the first time our office has conducted a hearing of this nature,” Rauschenberger added.

Since 1965, the legislature has given the Tax Commissioner authority under North Dakota Century Code (N.D.C.C.) section 57-01-07(1) to conduct a hearing when a county fails to comply with the law and provide the required records of property sales.

The sales ratio study is the primary tool used to measure the relationship between local property tax assessments and actual market value or “true and full value” of property. All North Dakota counties are required to compile a record of sales of property made in the city or county, and in conjunction with the county commissioners, analyze the sales for use in the sales ratio study. Historically, all cities and counties in North Dakota have complied with the law and provided the required information to the Tax Commissioner.

Tax Commissioner Rauschenberger will have 30 days to notify the Griggs County Commissioners as to the action taken as a result of the hearing.