We Need to Focus More on Holding Local Government Accountable

August 9, 2018 T. Arthur Mason North Dakota

Washington politics dominates media headlines. I think it’s safe to say that for many Americans – including North Dakotans – they’re more familiar with what is going on in The Swamp than they are with what’s going on in Bismarck. The same can probably be said in relation to what’s going on right under our noses in our city and county governments.

I came to the conclusion long ago that our country would be far better served if more Americans realized that true change starts with the governments closest to us. When was the last time you attended a city meeting? Are you familiar with who your elected city officials are? How about your county commissioners? Have you checked your local budgets? Where are your tax dollars going? Have you paid attention to how much city employees are making? The list of questions goes on.

We recently published an article on Fargo and how they’ve once again exceeded their original budget for a new City Hall. We even mentioned the fact that their City Administrator makes nearly a quarter of a million dollars annually in salary and benefits. How many in Fargo would know that if they were asked on the street? Earlier this week, I wrote about the 18.5% increase in property tax that Minot is facing, together with a $37 million increase in the budget— which has increased by 396.1% over the course of the last ten years. Do the people of Bismarck know that at an August 7th budget meeting their City Commission approved a pay increase for city employees, though revenues are down? These are just a few examples.There are many others.

In the weeks and months to come, we will be submitting open records requests across the state in an effort to reveal some of the facts related to our local communities. If you have questions or are in possession of information that you believe will be helpful in the effort, feel free to submit them to us. We’ll take them into consideration. And who knows, maybe you’ll be responsible for blowing the lid off of something important to your community.

 

Sources:

  1. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/07/20/fargo-city-hall-blocking-prairie-public-overpaid-administrators/
  2. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/08/07/property-owners-in-minot-staring-at-18-5-increase-in-property-tax/
  3. http://dakotamediaaccess.org/bismarck-city-commission-videos/
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About T. Arthur Mason 883 Articles
T. Arthur Mason is a native North Dakotan who has spent nearly all of his life in the Peace Garden State. As the third of four children in Western North Dakota, Mason grew to appreciate family and the outdoors. Some of his fondest memories are annual deer hunts with family and friends. In his early teenage years, faith became a central part of T. Arthur Mason's life. He and the majority of his family attend church together on a weekly basis and find this a fulfilling aspect of their lives. Through the influence of his father, T. Arthur Mason became intrigued with politics. As a boy, he attended political events with his father and enjoyed the friendships that resulted as a byproduct of those political associations. As Mason grew older, he became convinced that the quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson was true, "That government is best which governs least." Today, T. Arthur Mason enjoys time with his wife and children, an occasional hunt, and an increasingly active life on the political scene. This blog is the fulfillment of a dream to design a web site in the realm of politics and to advocate for the principles of Liberty and constitutionally limited government. On behalf of all those that contribute to The Minuteman, we hope you enjoy your time on the site and will share the message with others.

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