It’s far from the biggest or most visible target for the federal budget cutters at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But the latest indication that virtually no federal agency…
Public broadcasting makes the list of prime funding cuts for many conservatives on both the national and state level year after year, but always manages to survive by mobilizing supporters…
Capping the burden Last June, I argued that “North Dakota should break the link between property valuations and property tax burdens.” The essential point, I wrote, “is that the burden of…
Back in June, I wrote an article titled “Why abolishing property taxes is a bad idea.” It’s fair to say that it didn’t get me on many people’s Christmas card…
Last month, North Dakota’s voters rejected a measure to “Prohibit Taxes on Assessed Value of Real Property” by 63.5% to 36.5%. This does not mean that the problem of excessive…
Ever-escalating property taxes is a problem that has vexed North Dakota homeowners for a generation. There are many factors which have led to it and, in this election cycle, voters are…
It’s not every day that elected officials acknowledge overcharging taxpayers, much less approve returning surplus funds to residents in the form of a property tax break. But that’s exactly what…
In a 3-2 vote, the Fargo City Commission approved a 2025 budget that grows 11% over this year’s budget and provides 4.5% raises for city staff. Mayor Tim Mahoney claimed…
The respected national financial firm Moody’s has lowered the city of Fargo’s credit outlook from stable to negative, increasing pressure on city commissioners to take another look at cuts to…
The free-for-all over Fargo’s next proposed city budget may be getting most of the limelight, particularly since city commissioners voted to eliminate the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department, among other…
While slightly lower than the $133 million the City Commission approved on August 5, Fargo’s 2025 budget proposal is still 10 percent higher than what the city spent in 2024…
In 1934, Iowa levied the first sales and income taxes. The objective of creating these new taxes was to provide property tax relief. Overtime, property, sales, and income tax rates…
Never mind that Fargo voters already turned down their opportunity to raise the local sales and hotel taxes to upgrade the Fargodome and fund a new convention center last December.…
Our resident economist John Phelan spoke at an event in Minot last week. He discussed state and local tax and spending policy with two state representatives. The Minot Daily News…
Last week I explained why abolishing property taxes is a bad idea. I concluded by saying: That is not to say that there are not grave problems with local property…
On Monday, I wrote about how North Dakota’s policymakers should look to the tools they have — notably control over state taxes — to boost economic growth in the face of the…