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House sends winning property plan to Senate

Roscoe Streyle Minot There’s an old saying that goes like this: Most people mess up something good by looking for something better, just to end up with something worse. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen with the good thing the North Dakota House of Representatives just sent to the Senate – legislation that would cut property tax bills by $1,450 per year for the next two years, with that amount climbing every biennium until most North Dakota homeowners won’t be paying any property tax at all. Having served in the House, I’ve been watching the debate on the property tax ...

Innovative ideas, not eggs, are what’s important

Anna Marie Shomento Minot Recently a gentleman from Fargo wrote a letter to The Minot Daily News erroneously blaming the current administration for the high price of eggs. The avian flu which ravaged the United States in 2024 resulted in over 20 million chickens dying or being destroyed during the last quarter of 2024. Fewer chickens means fewer eggs! A basic law of economics is that a short supply of goods results in great demand and higher prices. You can’t blame the government for that! In response to the other comments by the writer, I would add that, indeed, the ...

Special Olympics grateful for support

Willie Ressler Tournament Director Minot On behalf of Special Olympics North Dakota, thank you to the city of Minot for hosting the 2024 State Basketball Tournament on Dec. 14-15. The Minot community played a significant role in providing 47 games for 41 teams composed of more than 330 athletes and 45 cheerleaders from across North Dakota a chance to showcase their ability and determination to succeed.  The athletes’ achievements were supported by more than 71 volunteer coaches and close to 400 hours of volunteer time and expertise from Minot, Minot State University ...

Legislators overstep bounds, waste time

Kara Vetter Minot Since the beginning of the current ND legislative session, there has been no shortage of ridiculous topics and wasted time. After the last couple of days, however, I think it’s safe to say it has completely devolved into nonsense. It is obvious that for many legislators, their top (maybe only) priority is limiting the rights of certain citizens. The fact that it is being done under the guise of religion is a complete embarrassment to me as a Christian. Perhaps if our legislators want to show off their values, their time and energy would be better spent ...

Public dollars should go to public schools

Jessica Nolz Grand Forks I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 1607, HB 1590, SB 2400, and HB 1540, all of which propose the allocation of public funds to private education. As a North Dakota resident and advocate for equitable education, I urge you to consider the significant consequences these bills would have on our public school system and rural communities. Public schools are the backbone of our education system, serving all students regardless of socioeconomic status, academic ability, diagnoses, or geographic location. Diverting public funds to private ...

$300M mistake: Stop the asylum

Madison Hanson Fargo The North Dakota Legislature is on the verge of making a costly mistake – pouring $300 million into reviving the outdated asylum model instead of building a modern, community-based mental health system. Key stakeholders have referenced the article “Bring Back the Asylum,” while legislators eagerly discuss whether the new hospital can be expanded later. They are trying to repeat history. For less than half the cost, North Dakota could make meaningful progress in developing a system that helps people recover where they live instead of isolating them in an ...