Minnesota Property Tax Update

03/23/2020 / Tim Rye and Grady Harn

Businesses and real estate of all types are being disrupted and upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. As this pandemic changes the landscape on a daily basis, we will keep you informed of important property tax issues along the way. Currently, there are three upcoming property tax issues in focus:

  • First Half Property Tax Payment: Due May 15, 2020
  • Property Tax Appeal Deadline: April 30, 2020
  • Local Boards of Equalization and Open Book Meetings: April 1 – May 31, 2020

First Half Property Tax Payment
House leadership has indicated they are working on a series of COVID-19 measures, including abatement of penalties for late income and property tax filings or payments, and preventing evictions and foreclosures during the pandemic. Senate leadership has indicated they are on board with waiving tax deadlines and penalties. This issue is very important to many of our clients and we will provide an update when the form of relief becomes more clear.

Property Tax Appeal Deadline
Larkin Hoffman’s Government Relations and Property Tax teams, with support from other Twin Cities tax attorneys, have been communicating with Governor Walz, Majority Leader Gazelka,  Speaker Hortman, the tax committee chairs in both the Senate and the House, and the Department of Revenue to advocate for extending the April 30th property tax appeal deadline. The governor, Senate and the House have all indicated they are working to address this issue.

Local Boards of Equalization and Open Book Meetings
The Department of Revenue (DOR) issued a memo on March 18, in response to COVID-19, to all local boards of appeal and equalization, city and township clerks, county and local assessors providing guidance on preparing for and convening local board meetings. DOR directs each assessor’s office to work closely with local boards to create meeting procedures and policies that comply with statutory requirements. The memo also provides Current Guidance on Virtual Meetings. Minnesota requires meetings to occur sometime between April 1st and May 31st, a timeline which is very likely to be affected by the pandemic.

The Larkin Hoffman Government Relations team is engaged daily with key state government decision-makers to gain assistance and remove barriers critical to our clients’ ongoing operations, and perhaps even their survival. We are available to assist you on issues ranging from influencing the governor’s executive orders to requesting waivers from state government requirements to revising legislation that will become law.

For more detailed information and other resources contact attorney Tim Rye.