Suppose the federal government started taking an interest in North Dakota's state taxes. Suppose the feds said that from now on, North Dakota must abide by tight new limits from Washington on state income, sales and oil-extraction taxes.
What would the reaction likely be in Bismarck?
That howls of dismay about federal arrogance and interference would lift the Capitol skyscraper a full foot.
Who is Washington to tell us what to do ... Why do they think they know better than we do what North Dakotans want ... How dare they basically tell us that we're not capable of governing ourselves.
Right?
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So, why are North Dakota legislators talking about local taxes in the same arrogant and interfering way?
"City, parks and school officials from both Fargo and West Fargo oppose two state House bills that would put a 3 percent limit on the total dollar increases in property taxes those entities could collect from one year to the next," Forum News Service reported this week.
And the officials are right to be opposed, because the bills represent meddling of the most self-interested sort.
As the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy put it, "while state lawmakers get to take credit for cutting taxes, local lawmakers are the ones forced to make difficult decisions regarding which services to cut."
Lawmakers might pretend they're standing up for taxpayers when they pass these kinds of limits. But when taxpayers have a chance to stand up for themselves, the verdict is something close to unanimous: They reject caps on property taxes, just as North Dakota voters last year rejected a proposal to eliminate property taxes entirely.
From 2004 to 2009, anti-government groups tried to pass strict property-tax caps in the form of "Taxpayer Bills of Rights" in 20 states, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities reported in 2009.
"And they failed every time."
If property taxes get too high in a North Dakota community, residents have a tried-and-true alternative: They can vote the rascals out. That's exactly what elections are for; and just because state lawmakers don't like the voters' decisions is no reason for the legislators to pull rank.
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"West Fargo City Administrator Jim Brownlee said the 3 percent limits would mean his fast-growing city would have a hard time paying for enough police or street department workers," the Forum News Service story reported.
And "Fargo Finance Director Kent Costin said the property tax caps for both bills don't take into account taxing to handle natural disasters -- such as floods -- or judgments against a government."
Add it all up, and you've got a proposal that's unsound, undemocratic, unfair and unpopular to boot.
That's no way to run a state. The Legislature should let North Dakota's local communities govern themselves. Individual voters have more influence on local government than they do in Bismarck -- and legislators should refrain from usurping that local control.
-- Tom Dennis for the Herald
