Flood-plain bill OK’d; Rep. Rozum voiced her opposition

• Tona Rozum

Tona Rozum

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PIERRE — The state House of Representatives gave final legislative approval Tuesday to giving more leeway to county directors of equalization for adjusting the assessed values of properties located in federally designated flood plains.

House members voted 58-6 in favor of repealing an existing law that says a property should be valued for tax purposes as though it wasn’t in the flood plain, unless the county and the city in which the property is located pass resolutions acquiescing to a lower valuation.

“This bill would rectify that,” Rep. Hal Wick, R-Sioux Falls, said.

Wick gave the example of two properties that are valued the same for tax purposes but one property wouldn’t sell for as much because it is in the flood plain.

He said the legislation, Senate Bill 73, would align the assessment process in counties, so that it corresponds to the state constitution’s requirement that properties can’t be taxed at more than their value.

Rep. Tona Rozum, RMitchell, spoke against the change. She said property owners might not realize their lands are in flood plains. She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency makes broad decisions about which properties in an area are within flood plains.

Landowners will have to prove they’re not actually in the flood plain, according to Rozum. She said flood insurance is more expensive for property in a flood plain.

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