Does This Number Sound Familiar?

Everywhere you turn—and park, practically, at least downtown—the City of Fargo is dinging you for more money. We wonder where the conservatives went. We wonder when the voice of the people will become more prevalent.

The City Commission raised rates for parking on all but one lot downtown. The city’s acquiescence to recommendations by the Parking Commission completely disregarded the tenants and shoppers who come downtown. That on top of new parking enforcement on Broadway on Saturdays, coupled with ticket fees that nearly doubled just over a year ago, and we can see more and more challenges in attracting shoppers and consumers downtown.

The new parking rates passed 5-zip by the City Commission Monday.

Then, the good news. The street lighting tax, ok, “fee.”

Starting January 1, Fargo residents will be coughing up well over $1.5 million annually to pay for street lights. It passed 3-2 Monday night at the Commission. The “fee” is equivalent to a 5-mill tax increase, except it’s cloaked differently. It’s a fee.

Accordingly, residences will be charged $2.50 per month, commercial properties $8, apartments $2, while low-income homeowners will be assessed $1.25.

Of the $1,500,708 new annual revenue, some 16 percent or $236,636 will go directly to the city’s general fund.

Commissioners Mike Williams and Dave Piepkorn opposed the utility fee, while Mayor Dennis Walaker and Commissioners Tim Mahoney and Brad Wimmer carried it by a slim majority.

Whatever the issue, we are oftentimes baffled by governmentspeak when it comes to new taxes. Sorry, fees, we mean. It is almost insidious how government entities—in this instance, the city—find ways to grow revenues on the backs of the people. While the global economy is in a tailspin, and when North Dakotans have had a moment’s reprieve in property taxes, our city then finds multiple ways to skin the cat and line coffers.

Then there are those circumstances which just plain smell. Case in point, Fargo lost the class action lawsuit over excessive penalties for traffic violations at a cost of about $1.5 million (does this number sound familiar?). Now there is a movement afoot to garnishee or garner that money from any recipients who, for example, are behind in child welfare payments, and to release the names of the citizens who were awarded their damages, mere pittances in most instances we are guessing.

It seems the State of North Dakota may comb the list of at least 13,900 persons who paid excessive traffic fines, compare it with the State’s own list of ex-husbands who are behind in their alimony and child support payments, and somehow become a party to the suit, so that the payments owed would be deducted from the excessive traffic fines.

If the State succeeds, there is likely to be a lot of ill feeling between the Dads and the State, and so it is fitting and proper for the High Plains Reader to offer our services as a marriage counselor between the two.

To the Dads: You should have known this was coming. Hell hath no fury like a State Government scorned. City Governments too—do not underestimate them! As they say in California, you never know a State Government until you have to divorce her.

And we’re sorry, State Government. We know it hurts to love and lose. Your next move should be to send state employees to visit all the Dads on your list. Cut the arms off their favorite sport jackets. Let the air out of their tires. It isn’t nice, but it will make you feel better.

Holiday Update

It’s amazing how time flies. The holidays are already upon us, along with North Dakota cold winter. But an update is in order.

HPR will be publishing a Christmas edition which hits the streets Wednesday, Dec. 23, and a New Years issue hitting the streets Dec. 30. We then take two weeks off, so you will not see HPR on the streets again until Jan. 21.

The past year has been a good one for the High Plains Reader and its readers and advertisers. We’ve grown our presence in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo dramatically, dropping over 12,000 papers weekly here. We’ve also shaken up our content big time, which you will see more of in the future, online and in print. And we got through our 15th birthday, a huge accomplishment by every measure.

So as the holidays approach all of us, let’s make sure to take stock in our abundances, our successes and achievements, our place in community and with each other. Let’s also take a moment to see who around us is in need, or is hurting, or is without in any way.

We try keep the messaging in HPR positive and constructive. We are proud of our relationship with our broader community. Yet we challenge you to continually challenge us to be the strongest voice we can be and for the right reasons and at the right times.

HPR is not your typical free newsweekly. We are home grown, our content is all original, and our focus is local, by and large. We could not have done it without all of you.

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