Letters to the Editor | May 16th, 2018
Letter to the Editor
For nearly 20 years I’ve been fighting the city of Fargo special assessment abuse. I ran for the city commission twice and have written dozens of letters to the editors over the years explaining numerous faults, including over charges in interest and fees added on by the city. What if Fargo spends the special assessment “revenue" for the benefit of a few. Maybe the biggest benefactor is the Home Builder Association. Did you ever wonder why the HBA hosts a Fargo city commissioner debate prior to every election? Why do many good candidates skip that debate?
It’s time to have a serious review of the special assessment process. The special assessment revenue and expenditure account should be audited by a complete independent auditor. The auditor's report should include who pays for the projects and who is allowed to skip payments for those bills when they are due. I’m pretty sure the ND Century Code does not allow over billing for special assessment improvements. Remember a special assessments is not a tax, it is an improvement to your property, just like adding a deck to your home. The money you spend paying back your special improvement should not be used to supplement anyone who protests specials because they were just annexed into the city (10 year deferral program), or any other deferral program. Of course the special assessment account at the city should not be used to supplement the Fargo general fund either, but I suspect that is only a minor portion of the abuse.
Dave Engebretson, Fargo
August 19th 2025
June 19th 2025
June 2nd 2025
May 15th 2025
May 15th 2025
_(1)__293px-wide.png)
_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
By Bryce Vincent HaugenFor the first nine months, the dysfunction of the Trump administration and Congress was a four-time-zone-away abstraction for a Moorhead native living in Alaska’s interior. But it became all too real when…
By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…
December 17-21, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and SundayThe Fargo Theatre, 314 N. Broadway, FargoCould this be the end of an era? After 26 years of doing the Holiday Soul Tour and 35 years together as a band, The…
By Sabrina Hornungsabina@hpr1.com I scroll through comment threads on the news stories in my social media feed and come across the retort, “You voted for this.” Sure the vote’s in…but when someone’s livelihood is at stake,…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill the Vatican ever love LBGTQUIA+ with open hearts and minds? Christians have been hot and bothered by sex for 2,000 years and Catholic popes, cardinals, bishops, priests and nuns have been…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Mandy Dolneymandy@ksbsyndicate.com This cake will be on the menu at Nova Eatery through Thanksgiving served with maple crème anglaise Ice cream. It uses pumpkin pie pumpkins grown locally at Ladybug Acres and local apples grown…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com In “Hedda,” Nia DaCosta’s bold adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s celebrated 1891 play, the filmmaker reunites with longtime collaborator Tessa Thompson, who starred in DaCosta’s…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Gallery 4 downtown recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, making it one of the longest consecutively running galleries in the country. With different membership tiers, there are 17 primary…
Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
sBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com The holidays are supposed to be magical: party, presents, fancy food, lights and sparks. You are looking forward to it. You work very hard, you put in long hours at work as well as at…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.comPersonal background and historical perspective My deep concern about tariffs stems from my background as a fourth generation North Dakota farmer. Having lived through the 1980s farm crisis…