Legislative Advocacy
NDSBA provides member boards legislative advocacy and governmental relations services. At the Annual Convention, the association’s Delegate Assembly acts on resolutions which formulate the legislative agenda for NDSBA. The association is visibly active during the legislative session and the interim. During the session, NDSBA provides a weekly legislative newsletter to members via email with hearing schedule and bill tracking information. NDSBA staff and members also represent school boards’ interests on numerous state committees, councils, and commissions.
For more detailed information on the state legislature, including committee members and legislators’ contact numbers go to ND Legislative Branch. Interim Committee hearing schedules and information can be found here.
Keep It Local Coalition
On August 2nd, the Secretary of State confirmed the validity of signatures for the measure to eliminate property taxes in North Dakota, establishing Measure 4 on the November ballot. Keep It Local, a coalition representing diverse organizations across North Dakota, opposes the measure and is intensifying its efforts to preserve essential local services and safeguard local control against the ballot measure. While the idea of reducing tax burdens may seem appealing, we believe it is crucial to understand the potential negative consequences of such a drastic measure.
Property taxes are a fundamental source of revenue for local governments, funding essential services that directly benefit our communities. These services include:
- Public schools: Property taxes are a primary funding source for our state's education system, ensuring our children receive a quality education.
- Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure rely heavily on property tax revenue to maintain and improve our transportation systems.
- Public safety: Police, fire departments, and emergency services depend on property taxes to provide vital protection for our citizens.
- Parks and recreation: Our local parks, trails, and recreational facilities are often funded through property taxes, offering valuable community spaces for leisure and enjoyment.
If property taxes were eliminated, these essential services would likely face significant funding shortfalls. To compensate, local governments may be forced to:
- Increase other taxes: This could include higher sales taxes or income taxes, which would disproportionately impact lower-income residents.
- Cut essential services: This could lead to reduced funding for education, public safety, infrastructure, and other vital programs.
- Increase reliance on state funding: This could diminish local control over decision-making and potentially result in unequal distribution of resources across the state. It is important to note that state lawmakers are under no obligation to provide the stability that local control does.
Property taxes are a major source of funding for school districts, and without this reliable revenue, schools would face severe budget cuts, potentially leading to:
- Reduced Educational Opportunities: Cuts in funding could result in larger class sizes, fewer specialized programs, and reductions in vital school resources.
- Teacher Layoffs: Budget shortfalls could force school districts to lay off teachers, leading to overcrowded classrooms and a decline in the quality of education.
- Deteriorating School Facilities: Deferred maintenance and repairs would become more common, creating unsafe and unhealthy learning environments.
- Increased Reliance on State Funding Formulas: Eliminating local control over school funding could leave districts vulnerable to fluctuations in state support.
If you are interested in assisting the coalition directly, it is in need of Letters to the Editor, faces and voices to join interviews and panels, distributors of brochures, and yards to position signs in. Questions can be directed to amy.dekok@ndsba.org or taylor.lassiter@ndsba.org.
For additional details and to stay connected, visit keepitlocalnd.org and provide the coalition with your contact information to receive the newsletters. You can also follow the coalition's efforts on Facebook, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn.
Facebook: facebook.com/keepitlocalnorthdakota
Twitter/X: https://x.com/keepitlocalnd
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/keepitlocalnd
We urge you to carefully consider the potential consequences of eliminating property taxes. A well-funded local government is essential for the health and prosperity of our communities. By maintaining property taxes, maintaining local control, we can ensure that our state continues to provide the high-quality services that our communities deserve. School officials, including board members, must not use district resources for political purposes and should maintain neutrality on political issues when acting in their official capacity. School officials can express personal opinions as private citizens but must clearly separate these from their role on the board or with the district and avoid using any school property or services to support political activities. See attached “Advocating on Ballot Measures as an Individual Citizen” for additional guidance.
Secretary of State’s Office: Legislative Bills and Information
