Letter to the Editor
In the upcoming election, I think we should vote no on the measure to eliminate property taxes. This measure, if passed, would be devastating for our state, our cities, and our communities. A similar measure was defeated in 2012, and thank goodness it was, because in 2014, my family moved to North Dakota to build our careers and create our home together, me as a teacher and my husband as a first responder. We moved to North Dakota because we saw opportunities for two people that felt a calling to public service. We saw great schools, beautiful communities, and a place to put down roots as we grew our family. If this measure passes, it would take away about 40% of our school funding and 20-30% of our city and county funding with no plan to replace it. As a result, the state government would have to replace that funding at a cost of $1.3 billion each year – with no guarantee to increase funding going forward. That loss of funding would not only be detrimental to our careers, it also threatens the life we’ve created together. So many young families like ours benefit from the funding that is received through property taxes for schools, cities, and counties. Property taxes pay for firefighters, police officers, libraries, parks, and schools. Ultimately, this measure would take away local control from cities, counties, school districts: that means communities would not be able to make the decisions that would be best for them. As you go to the ballot in November, please vote no on Measure 4 to keep properly funding our public schools, cities, and counties to keep our communities the kind that people want to come to as they build their careers and create their homes.
Monica Klein, Mandan, ND