From Eric Dondero:

Yesterday in Bismark, a coalition of taxpayer rights advocates handed in approximately 28,0000 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office to qualify a ballot measure to completely abolish property taxes.

From the AP (via The Republic) "Amendment would abolish ND property taxes, order Legislature to figure out new revenue plan":

BISMARCK, N.D. — Backers of a constitutional amendment to abolish North Dakota property taxes believe they have enough petition signatures to put the idea on the ballot, even though the number they thought they needed has risen.

The proposed amendment's supporters delivered almost 1,000 petitions, bearing what they said were more than 27,800 names, to Secretary of State Al Jaeger's office Friday.

Jaeger has until April 29 to review the documents and determine whether there are enough names to qualify for the ballot. If the signature goal is met, the amendment would go to a statewide vote in June 2012.

The coalition of activists included, the Libertarian Party of ND, Taxpayer Rights groups, Tea Party groups based in Williston and Grand Forks, Christian Right conservatives, and a cadre of stridently individualist Cowboy and Bikers from Valley City.

"It's a new idea. It's something a lot of people hadn't even considered until we put it in front of them," said Charlene Nelson, of Casselton, who is chairwoman of the initiative campaign.

The Amendment if passed would force the legislators in Bismark to use other revenue sources, rather than property taxes. But the State currently has an approximate $2.6 billion budget surplus, largely as a result of oil revenues from taxes on oil production in northwestern ND.

Tuesday is the final deadline for petition signatures to be handed in. And the taxpayer coalition hopes to have over 30,000 for the final turn-in.