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Letters to the Editor

‘Go woke, go broke’

Andrew Allis, Granville “Go Woke, Go Broke.” So the saying goes, and its truth has been borne out with companies like Anheuser-Busch and their Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light advertising fiasco, and Target with its own marketing geniuses coming up with transgender children’s “tuck-friendly” clothing. Disney and Netflix are other examples of big companies who have taken large financial hits for their preachy progressive programming, the latter just starting to claw its way back from fiscal devastation via a major woke-reversal. Planet Fitness just recently took a 400 million dollar ...

Transgender Day of Visibility is important

Dan Sturgill, West Fargo International Transgender Day of Visibility is on March 31st. This day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people. Some people believe that transgender people do not live in North Dakota. I am a clinical psychologist who has worked with transgender youth and adults across North Dakota, and I assure you there are business owners, farmers, clergy, artists, athletes, and students in our small-town school plays. March 31st is important because, fifteen years ago, I perceived transgender individuals as people who were just having trouble accepting themselves. ...

Real property tax relief needed

Cathy “Kit” Brenan, Hillsboro Over 42 blocks in Minot receive property tax breaks for at least 5 years. EPIC just had their break EXTENDED. TIF financing is in EVERY town and county in N.D. to spur “economic development.” How are these taxes being paid? BY YOU! Rep. Jared Hagert, Taxation Committee chair, says removing property tax is a Trojan Horse. FOR WHOM? Not the homeowner who is having mills or valuations increase EVERY year whether they make improvements or not! Removing property tax would assure you OWN your home vs rent from the state. That you can’t be ...

Closing schools not financial solution

Edana Kitzmann, Minot So the final answer is $6 million on shortfall. Four to five weeks ago the savings number was $1.8-2 million. The numbers get larger as time goes by, it seems. The savings number now is $3-3.5 million. To receive “assistance” from the “state school fund” to get through the MPS school budget economic crisis would work, or is that the “foot in the door” to 100% state funding that some are scared of? If the state school fund furnishes 100% for ALL school districts, where will the “rainy day” money come from when it is depleted? Think it ...

Harassment defies common decency

Don Morrison, Bismarck In the midst of this wonderful place we live – the beautiful, bountiful prairies – some people keep insisting on harassing other people who are a little different than they are. We see and hear continuing racial taunts and slurs aimed at Indigenous players on North Dakota high school athletic teams. How could anyone even think mocking Native high school athletes is ok? You know, it is just basic humanity to know why that’s wrong. In fact, all it takes is some sense of common decency. Unfortunately, it’s very clear that common decency is in short ...

ND has money to replace property taxes

Connie Samuelson Minot Minot Public Schools are faced with a $6.6M (5.32%) budget deficit going into their 24/25 school year. This stems from the December 2021 bond passing to build a sports complex, a 4 year high school and revamping 2 schools ($108.6M) and projected loss of enrollment ($1.3M). Money is still owed on the 2014 ($39.5M) bond passing. MPS will be closing 2 elementary schools and proposing a building fund levy on our property taxes in the June election. Consideration will also have to be made for further cuts. Administrators, teachers and staff seem skeptical ...