I took some time on the radio show today to respond to criticism Mike McFeely has thrown at me for writing too often, and too critically, of his preferred candidate for the U.S Senate. I also spoke to Fargo City commission candidate Tim Flakoll about his plan for special assessments. Current Commissioner Tony Gehrig, who…
Republican Leg Candidates Say They’ve Contacted Law Enforcement Over Destroyed Campaign Signs in Fargo
In wouldn’t be election season without some stories about campaign sign chicanery, but it seems what’s going on with some signs in District 44 is particularly egregious. That district is home to a heated contest between incumbent Senator Tim Flakoll and Rep. Blair Thoreson as well as newcomer state House candidate Gail Nelson on the…
Audio: Lawmaker Says Measure 2 Necessary to “Loosen up” Reserve Funds, Opponents Say Fund Will Be Raided
On my radio show yesterday I hosted a debate over Measure 2 on North Dakota’s November ballot between state Senator Tim Flakoll (R-Fargo) and Jon Martinson of the North Dakota School Boards Association. This issue is a little bit complicated – a little bit down in the weeds – but this is an important debate…
Critics Worried Common Core Task Force Won't Include Opposition Voices From Legislature
You can’t always get what you want, the Rolling Stones tell us, but sometimes you get what you need. I believe that’s where the passionate and energetic opponents of Common Core find themselves heading into the 2015-2017 legislative interim. They lost a bruising battle in the legislature over bills that would have, among other things,…
NDUS Chancellor Candidate Once Touted A Doctorate From A Diploma Mill
The North Dakota University System has a serious credibility problem. In addition to breaking open records and open meeting laws no fewer than 18 times since 2010, their relationship with lawmakers has detriorated to the point where many of those lawmakers simply don’t believe what university officials have to say. That’s why lawmakers feel the…
House Votes Down Bill Which Would Have Made Lawmaker Record Requests Public
Over the last several years the North Dakota University System been plagued with scandal and controversy, a lot of it owing to things revealed by way of records requests with some of those requests originating with lawmakers. In response to that problem the university system – through their employee, bill sponsor Senator Tim Flakoll of…
Senate Narrowly Defeats Tax Deduction For Private School Expenses
HB1254 would have allowed parents who send their kids to private school to deduct up to $5,000 worth of expenses (defined as “books and tuition”) in each calendar year. It passed the state House by a wide margin, 69-24, back in February but it was defeated in the Senate today. I was told by a…
Lawmakers Make Massive Records Requests Because The Universities Can't Be Trusted
In order to make their case for SB2222, which would end anonymous requests for open records by lawmakers, the North Dakota University System has taken to leaking information about some really, really large requests of that variety. The idea is to paint the requests as unreasonable, and the lawmakers as vindictive. The university system pulled this stunt…
Senator Tim Flakoll Adds Name To List Of Prospective University System Chancellors
Yesterday we got news that no fewer than 19 candidates had applied to be the next chancellor of the North Dakota University System (Board of Higher Ed members were caught on tape last year saying that current Chancellor Larry Skogen pretty much hates the job during an illegal meeting). Today comes news of a late…
Video: ND Senate Passes Early Childhood Education Voucher Program
The early childhood education bill – SB2151 – which passed the state Senate today on a 33-14 vote is sort of a mixed bag. On one hand, the bills most outspoken proponents are the technocrats who seem to believe that the earlier we can stuff kids into the public education system assembly line the better…