Bismarck Mayor Mike Schmitz met with the Burleigh County Commission this evening to share concerns about the County’s Public Health funding that is increasing the tax burden on Bismarck residents.
The population of Burleigh County is 99,280, with the residents of Bismarck constituting nearly 75 percent of it. Bismarck residents contribute an equal share of the county’s property taxes. Schmitz contends that Burleigh County Commission decisions have also created an unfair and additional tax burden on the residents of Bismarck.
The Burleigh County Commission has continually voted against proportionately supporting the operational expenses of Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health, says Schmitz. By law, the County is required to provide public health services. Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health’s net expenditure from the general funds budget for 2023 is $2,323,000. The County is only paying $301,378, with Bismarck picking up the balance. Bismarck residents pay both city and county taxes and are covering just over 96 percent of public health expenses, not 75 percent, which is the fair portion they should pay. For every $100,000 of home or commercial building value, Bismarck residents pay $113.93 more than they should.
“I am asking for a new commitment to cooperation between the County and City. When the County Commission votes against sharing expenses equally across all of Burleigh County, they are voting against the residents of Bismarck,” states Schmitz. “Bismarck residents represent 75 percent of the county, and consideration needs to be given to how these County decisions impact them.”
Schmitz is committed to working on this issue through the Bismarck-Burleigh Commissions Committee which has been meeting twice a month and will continue to meet regularly. Schmitz continues, “The joint commission committee is a logical, streamlined way approach to making recommendations on how we meet the needs of our residents.”