Are tax assessors failing to adjust valuations?

South Dakota lawmakers want to require equalization offices to review requests for lower assessments

PIERRE — Tax assessors could be forced to reconsider valuations placed on farm and ranch lands in South Dakota under a proposal advancing through the state Legislature.

State law already provides that county equalization offices have the ability to adjust tax valuations based on land productivity. For instance, if a landowner can show their ground should get a tax break because it can’t be farmed, a county can assess a lower value. However, some county tax assessors aren’t doing that and instead are failing to consider requests from west river ranchers to have their valuations reconsidered.

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That’s according to backers of House Bill 1208, a bill intended to require county tax assessor to consider making valuation adjustments when requested by landowners who believe their properties are being overtaxed.

“People are not being treated equally now with equal property,” said Jeremiah Murphy, chairman of the South Dakota Stockgrowers, which along with the bill’s prime sponsor — Rep. Trish Ladner — contends that from county to county, equalization offices are not uniformly considering valuation adjustments allowed in law.