Yesterday, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) sent a letter to the North Dakota legislature outlining three specific policy proposals that we support and one in particular that we would oppose. 

Those that ATR supports:

• House Bill 1409, sponsored by Senators Oley Larsen and Margaret Sitte, and Representatives Jim Kasper, Roscoe Streyle, Blair Thoreson, and Dave Weiler:  This bill would eliminate both the corporate and personal income taxes.  Over the FY2009-2011 biennium these taxes are estimated to amount to $895 million in revenue taken from the pockets of North Dakotan families and businesses.  Among its neighbors, North Dakota would join only South Dakota in being free of corporate and personal income taxes. 
   
• House Bill 1228, sponsored by Senators John Andrist, Tony Grindberg, and Joe Miller, and Representatives Bette Grande, Don Vigesaa, and Robin Weisz; and House Bill1258, sponsored by Senators John Andrist, Gary Lee, and Dave Oehlke, and Representatives  Bette Grande, Craig Headland, and Scott Louser:  These bills would create a new 401(k)-like defined contribution plan for new state employees.    

“North Dakota needs to use this session to reduce tax burdens and limit government.  Public employee pension liabilities will destroy state budgets if they are not addressed.  Now is the time to be visionaries and to address pending problems sooner rather than later,”said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.  “Additionally, tax cuts are something that legislators should pass this session.  North Dakota has an opportunity to eliminate both its corporate and personal income taxes, leaving this money in the pockets of people.”

There is also a rumored cigarette tax increase proposal in North Dakota that would raise the cigarette tax to $2.00 a pack.  ATR opposes this tax increase and any other tax increase that would be proposed. 

“With its robust budget surplus, North Dakota must reject tax increases and reduce the size of government.  On November 2, the electorate spoke loud and clear in favor of lower taxes and fiscal responsibility.”