Ken Wangen, Carrington

I’m urging you to vote ‘no’ this November on the ballot measure proposing the elimination of property taxes. My impetus for writing? A recent incident that clearly outlines the necessity for maintaining local control with property taxes.

In the early hours of July 5, 2024, 29 rail cars carrying hazardous materials derailed and caught fire about nine miles southeast of Carrington, where I serve as fire chief. The hazardous materials, including anhydrous ammonia, posed a significant risk to people in and around Carrington and Bordulac, but our rapid response, in coordination with Jamestown Rural Fire, Kensal Fire, Pingree Fire, New Rockford Fire, Sykeston Fire, Harvey Fire, Devils Lake City Fire, Jamestown City Fire, and Rugby Fire prevented any casualties. Our ability to react quickly was due in large part to the resources funded by property taxes, which support our local fire and rescue services.

If the measure is passed, the state would be required to pay the estimated $1.329 billion that would no longer be collected via property tax – a big problem, as there’s no plan for where that money would come from. Without a clear and sustainable funding plan, the state’s budget could be stretched thin, jeopardizing essential services across all communities. Even worse – the measure would only require the state to pay what was levied in 2024. We all know how the world works: things cost more as time marches on. That means, if voters approve the elimination of property tax, local services will likely receive less money to provide the same vital services each time there’s a new budget to be drafted.

I worry, if the measure to eliminate property taxes is approved by voters in November, that local control – a right we hold dear in North Dakota – will be stripped from us. Local control ensures that our resources are allocated efficiently by those who understand our community’s unique needs, unlike a one-size-fits-all approach from state lawmakers, most of whom have never been to Carrington or even Foster County. Nobody likes paying property taxes, but eliminating them altogether with no plan going forward is not the solution. Let’s preserve our local control and ensure safe communities by voting ‘no’ on the property tax elimination measure this November.