Dakota Beacon

Common Sense says - our environment is important and we want to be careful and good stewards of the environment.  

Good Sense says that Measure 5 – Clean Water, Wildlife & Parks Amendment to the North Dakota Constitution– does not make good sense for the citizens of North Dakota.  

This Amendment sets up a three person commission - governor, attorney general, and agriculture commissioner - to select the grant programs that are recommended by a 13 member citizen’s accountability board.  The commission must (not may) allocate not less that seventy-five percent nor more than ninety percent of the revenue deposited in the fund on an annual basis.   

Does the commission have the authority to reject any or all of the grant recommendations from the citizen’s accountability board?  Of the thirteen citizen’s accountability board members, the governor has seven appointments.  Four recommended by the director of the Game and Fish (are these the guys who lost the guns and money as reported earlier this year?), two from the Parks and Recreation, and one from the Indian Affairs commission.   The other six members are - two appointed by the state senate president pro tempore, two by the speaker of the ND House of Representatives, one from the energy industry and one farmer or rancher.   Seven trumps six.

Why no one from the State Water Commission? After all, the first words of this amendment are Clean Water – protect, improve, maintain, or restore water quality, improve natural flood control.  In reading the vision and mission statements of the out of state organizations, who are supporters of this amendment, you will find they are all about protecting their hunting and fishing industry.

Years ago, I made several unsuccessful attempts to be appointed to the Board of Higher Education.  I was told that the governor must, not may, appoint one from the three people recommended to him by that recommendation committee.  Will this also hold true with these recommended appointments?  Will it also hold true for the citizen’s accountability board’s recommendations  for funding projects.

There are very strict and restrictive guidelines to follow as to the qualification of those appointed to the citizen’s accountability board.  Read the fine print.  Most North Dakota citizens, of any educational level, would not qualify to serve on the board.

Good Sense says - Vote No vote on Measure 5.  Leave the decision for the spending of these millions of dollars to the vote of the legislators who we can vote out of office.