ND HB1199

Governing bodies of cities, counties, or park districts must adopt final annual budgets and levies as resolutions subject to referral and must publish notice of adoption in official newspapers at least seven days before filing with the county auditor.

Qualified electors may petition to place budget and levy resolutions on the ballot if a petition signed by ten percent or more of those who voted in the most recent general election is filed with the governing body within thirty days of the resolution being filed with the county auditor.

The governing body must place the referral measure on a ballot within sixty days after petition signatures are verified as sufficient, and is responsible for arranging, conducting, and paying election costs but may cost-share with other political subdivisions.

If the election is rejected before the county auditor delivers tax lists to the county treasurer, the auditor shall substitute the maximum levy calculated under existing law and recalculate property tax lists accordingly.

If the election is rejected after the tax list delivery deadline, the maximum levy for the following taxable year is determined under existing law, but the year voters rejected the budget must be excluded from consideration in calculating the maximum allowable levy.