Tracker Pixel for Entry

Letter to the editor from Tony Gehrig

Letters to the Editor | January 24th, 2016

To the editor:

I am tremendously excited at the prospect of the tallest building in North Dakota someday soon coming to downtown Fargo. I have no doubt that this will be a fantastic addition to the area and will draw in new business to our city. I know this project will be a great success for the Kilbourne Group. All the more reason why public tax dollars should be left out of the equation.

My stance on special incentives for private development is not limited to the Kilbourne Group, a fine company that has done as much for downtown as any organization. On the contrary, I don’t begrudge them or anyone else for seeking incentives. Why shouldn’t they if the Commission is so willing to give them out? I am guessing you reading this take the full deduction on their tax returns. This is a local government problem, not a business practice problem.

In my role as Commissioner, I have been approached by multiple large and small developers who are interested in how taxpayers can further their dealings. In each case, I have held a consistent view and I want to explain my position to the taxpayers of Fargo.

Instead of offering special deals to a City Commission chosen select few I have fought for a consistently low, predictable, and sustainable tax rate. From my perspective, that is how government can aid in generating long term growth and wealth for any community.

My approach also offers a market driven, organic, and fair playing field where residents choose where to spend their money (not the government) based on their own needs, wants, and fiscal situation. I agree with people who say that infill is popular and smart growth. Where we disagree is how that happens, and I believe that if infill is the most popular, economical, and attractive option, the free market will bear that out, free from government intervention.

Simply put, it is directly contradictory to suggest that infill is the most popular and economical option, but the free market cannot sustain it, obviously implying subsidizes are required. That is the quintessence of doublethink.

Proponents for special incentives claim:

Development will bring in new business, jobs, and money. True, however this is true for any development, the vast majority of which are not publicly subsidized. No matter if it is a new home, restaurant, or a skyscraper, all of these help drive our economy. Let it be known, the majority of businesses in Fargo are small businesses. They are no more or less important than large businesses. Should we incentivize all development because it helps grow our economy? Of course not. Couldn’t happen; therefore the de facto position of the Fargo Commission has been to pick winners and losers. The irony, if we had 20% lower property tax, if my plan was in place, these incentives would not be necessary. We need not pick winners and losers.

“But for”? Would this happen “but for” incentives? Developers will always say, “No”. The reality is most of projects that ask for tax incentives are profitable day one, just not to the extent that the developer would like. If we add incentives it simply increases the net profit faster at the expense of you who are paying the full tax rate for your home or business. This is nothing short of corporate welfare. Additionally, we run the risk of creating an economic bubble, which is what I fear we are doing downtown when pumping unnatural tax dollars in.

I am for eliminating or reducing all incentive programs and in their place a new tax system that is consistently low, sustainable, and predictable like the 20% property tax reduction I suggested and Dave Piepkorn supported. That is how government can help grow the economy in Fargo over the long term.

Taxpayers are not piggy banks. Commissioners are not investment bankers. This is not the role of local government.

Tony Gehrig,

Fargo City Commissioner 

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Rodeo is a family tradition for sisters Kate and Tera Flitton. The duo performs under the moniker Stellar Trick Riding Cowgirls. The Utah natives will be performing along with bareback riders,…

Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m. doors open at 7 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 N Broadway, FargoCheck out this cult classic on the big screen as a live band performs along with David Bowie’s vocals, all while basking in the Art Deco glory…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com I feel like reading a newspaper is the equivalent of listening to music on vinyl. Not only is it analog, it’s an experience. I might be a little biased, but there's something about the rustling…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comA column on How Trumusklicans are trying to change historyIt took William L. Shirer a couple decades to write and then publish “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany,”…

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 Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Photos by Rick GionLiving in downtown Fargo has its perks. One of them is taking walks along Broadway and peeking into the restaurants and shops for a glimpse of what’s new. Sometimes this makes a…

Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Making her feature directorial debut, Rachael Abigail Holder guides “Love, Brooklyn” to a satisfying conclusion, even if some viewers might have hoped for a different outcome for the…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Chad Nodland, "Artistic Freedom"On January 19, 2025, the last full day of Joe Biden’s presidency, he commuted Leonard Peltier's two consecutive life sentences to home confinement at his…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

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…

By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com Somewhere lost in the cultural scuffle of what it means to be transgender is that it is an absolute joy to experience the world in such a way. When you take away the societal prejudice and…

By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…