Steven Moen, Minot

Here we are in the middle of a recession, with inflation higher than the 1980s and Ward County and Minot are working to increase property tax. Whenever these entities can’t balance their budgets they raise property taxes. This is the most hated tax in history and is unfair, (not all people are taxed the same) un-American (it started with William the Conquered), and the government actually owns our property even though our name is on the title ( we still have to pay for the privilege of ownership). 

I believe it’s high time we as freedom loving North Dakotans rise up and abolish this most hated tax. We can do it as the state is flush with money, so much so that people of power and influence (Governor Burgum and others) are coming up with all sorts of ways to spend the excess and guess what, we taxpayers aren’t part of the solution. No, it has to be spent on Teddy Roosevelt’s library, a bit-coin mine by Williston and carbon capture wells to store CO 2 because of the climate change hoax. 

Will any of these projects improve the lives of tax paying North Dakotans or just line the pockets of the rich investors? I think the later is true as the bit-coin mine will negatively impact us with higher electric rates and higher natural gas rates as it will require 700 MWs of electricity to run it, (one coal fired power plant puts out 400-500MWs) so where is the power coming from? Building a natural gas power plant could be one answer so that will create a bigger demand for natural gas hence higher gas prices. 

I think we should be using all this money to help out taxpayers by paying off property tax and creating a diverse business boom because we’d be the only state in the country without property tax. Think about it, it can work!