Plain Talk With Rob Port

"The property tax is a good tax," Jared Walczak told Chad Oban and I on this episode of Plain Talk. "You may not love it, but you will not like the alternatives better." Walczak is the state projects director for the Tax Foundation, a right-of-center think tank that focuses on -- you guessed it -- tax policy. His organization recently published an article critical of Measure 4, a constitutional amendment that would prohibit taxes on property values. Walczak has also presented his group's arguments to state lawmakers. Walczak's argument is not that North Dakotan's shouldn't feel upset about their property taxes. "There's legitimate frustration," he said. The problem is that eliminating the property tax would produce "real economic upheaval" by shifting tax burdens from a tax that "has very little economic drag" to others, like income taxes or sales taxes, which do. Eliminating the billions collected locally in property taxes would mean replacing those revenues with tax dollars collected state wide. "You're ta

North Dakota's gubernatorial race features to affable, well-liked candidates, who clearly like one another as well. Republican Kelly Armstrong was first elected to the North Dakota Senate in 2012, and served there until the 2018 election cycle, when he campaigned successfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. That's where he's currently finishing out a term, while also campaigning for governor. Democratic-NPL candidate Merrill Piepkorn has also served in the state Senate. He's been there since he was elected in 2016, and had a one-session overlap with Armstrong's service. On this Plain Talk, the two candidates compared and contrasted with one another under questioning from me and my co-host Chad Oban. We covered everything from internet pornography (Armstrong says he'd like to see North Dakota implement an ID requirement to access it), to political accountability (Piepkorn says long-time Republican supermajorities in North Dakota have created an "environment of entitlement"), to property taxes

We all know the old saying.  You don't talk about religion and politics in polite company. Only, does that advice make sense in a society like ours, where we practice self-governance? How can we govern ourselves if we can't talk to one another about politics? And, more pertinent to this episode of Plain Talk, how do we teach our kids how to participate in discourse over challenging issues like abortion or gun control if teachers are afraid to tackle politics in the classroom? Lindsey Galvao is a long-time educator -- the social studies curriculum specialist at GBH and a multiplatform creator for public media, and curriculum writer for the Civics Collection on PBS LearningMedia. Ben Klutsey is the executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University whose work is featured in the documentary "Undivide US." They recently co-authored an op-ed about politics in the classroom, and joined my cohost Chad Oban and I to talk about that very conundrum. "We disagree and that's ok," Klutsey told us. The p

When U.S. House candidates Julie Fedorchak (a Republican) and Trygve Hammer (a Democrat) sat down for a debate on the Plain Talk podcast with me and my co-host Chad Oban, one of the first questions I asked them was why they wanted to be elected to Congress. Hammer, a Marine Corps veteran, said it's because less than 80 of the current 435 members of the House of Representatives have served in the military. He also said he wants to promote an atmosphere where leaders talk to one another instead of past one another. Fedorchak wants to focus on issues like border security, "record high inflation," and energy policy. One of the last questions I asked them was about their top priorities if elected. Hammer said a new farm bill and the national debt, as well as "talking to North Dakotans continuously" and taking his cues from the people. For her answer, Fedorchak said constituent services, arguing that, even if progress on making policy is stalled, members of Congress can still "be a force" for individual North Dakot

"This is the best job I could ever imagine," North Dakota U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider said on this episode of Plain Talk. Schneider was appointed to that position by President Joe Biden. Later this year, when America elects a new president, he may be out of a job, depending on how the country casts its ballots. A Republican president isn't likely to keep a Democratic appointee, but if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, would Schneider want another term in the office? He says yes. "I'm grateful for every minute I have in this job." My co-host Chad Oban and I asked Schneider about whether his office has seen any local blowback from national politics, where the FBI and the Department of Justice have, in recent years, been accused of political bias by both Republicans and Democrats. FBI Director Christopher Wray, who has rejected demands to resign from former President Donald Trump, the man who appointed him, and who recently visited North Dakota, has frequently been at the center of interparty food fights. Schn

When we organize candidate debates on the Plain Talk podcast, our intent is to foster a competition that's not bogged down by a lot of rules and restrictive formatting, nor plagued by shouting and candidates talking over one another. We don't really even want a competition. We want a conversation. A thoughtful discussion between two candidates on important issues of interest to the voters. I think we achieved that with the debate my co-host Chad Oban and I hosted between incumbent U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican, and his Democratic challenger Katrina Christiansen. Our conversation covered everything from partisanship, to social security, the national debt, the state of the farm bill and Congress's inability to pass an updated iteration of it, the wars in Ukraine and Israel, and the role of government in our lives. The candidates found places where they agree. Both say they're committed to America's continued backing of Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression. Both support Israel's right to defend itse

"Every law enforcement officer I've spoken to has said this has been hard on our state and hard on law enforcement." That's what Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. He's referring to Measure 5 on North Dakota's November ballot which, if passed, would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. "I'm very big on personal freedom," Sheriff Leben told co-host Chad Oban and I, but added that those liberties have to be balanced with the needs of public safety. He rejected the oft-made argument from marijuana supporters that legalization will make less work for law enforcement, arguing that "prices" for illicit marijuana will still "entice the black market." Leben did credit the backers of Measure 5 with taking a thoughtful approach to the issue. "I would have to concede that they're trying to get it right," he said, but added that the costs of legalization outweigh the benefits. Also on this episode, Jamie Selzler, a North Dakota delegate to the Democratic National Committe

"Let's take valuations away." That's what state Rep. Ben Koppelman proposed on this episode of Plain Talk. He's referring to a plan for property tax reform that he's proposed should Measure 4 -- a constitutional ban on taxing property values -- fail on the statewide ballot in November. Koppelman would like to see property taxed on size, not value. His plan would levy mills on the square footage of properties, and the structures on those properties, with residential property owners seeing their bill defrayed by credits akin to the state's existing Homestead Tax Credit. "For many years the locals have blamed the Legislature" for the property tax problem, Koppelman said, arguing that, whatever happens with Measure 4, it's time for the Legislature to implement some more dramatic property tax reform to address what is a perennial source of consternation for North Dakota's voters. Koppelman said he's not for or against Measure 4, saying he's got his personal feelings but doesn't want to "twist the arm of voters." H

Even if North Dakota voters approve Measure 4, a constitutional amendment that would disallow taxes on real estate values, our state and its elected leaders will still need to figure out how to replace the roughly $2.4 billion in revenues those taxes generate very budget cycle. We're going to pay for it. The question is how. Neal Messer, a farmer, businessman, and commissioner in Stark County, joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss what that problem might look like from a local level. One upshot? Property owners may still be stuck with a property tax. "It does open the door where we could tax property based on square footage," Messer told us, though he added that the measure itself is "not very well written." "The challenge is five years from now," he added, pointing out that Measure 4 obligates state lawmakers to replace the revenues from property value taxes, but only at four years from now. Messer argues that, thanks to things like inflation, the cost of something like paving a road is going to cost

The emergence of Vice President Kamala Harris as the top-of-the-ticket candidate for Democrats, nationally, has created an undeniable wave of enthusiasm among our liberal friends. North Dakota's Democrats are no different. "There's a new pep in our step," state Rep. Zac Ista told my co-host Chad Oban and I on this episode of Plain Talk. Ista is a Democrat from Grand Forks and the House Minority Leader, and he had some very pragmatic things to say about the chances Democratic legislative candidates have on the ballot this year. Ista pointed out that Democrats already elected to the Legislature have been punching above their weight. They have only 16 seats in the state Legislature, but saw over 50 bills sponsored by Democratic lawmakers passed. He also praised his party's candidate recruitment efforts. Acknowledging that Democrats have struggled to fill all of the legislative races in past cycles, particularly in western North Dakota, he said his party has filled 80% of the races this cycle. Still, even if Demo

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, who is currently in the midst of a campaign to become North Dakota's next governor, has had a long career in public service. On this episode of Plain Talk, he told my co-host Chad Oban and I what his proudest moment has been from that career (so far, he's still a young man in political years). He said it was helping his hometown, Dickinson, build a new baseball complex. It was a reminder that Armstrong's track record of public service didn't begin in elected office. In fact, that's probably true of most of our elected leaders, even at the highest levels of government. We can be cynical about politics. We're certainly given good reason to be much of the time. But there's something nice in being reminded that political careers often start with public service at a granular level. Unfortunately, much of what we discussed on this episode is the sort of thing that justifies our cynicism about political leadership. Armstrong expressed frustration about the House of Representatives going out on

In 2018, North Dakota voters approved a ballot measure creating the state Ethics Commission. The commission was implemented in 2019, and that first year, it received just 2 complaints. There were 3 in 2020, 9 in 2021, then a spike (right around election time) in 2022 to 14. There were 14 complaints again in 2023, and so far in 2024 (another election year) the number has spiked to 25 as of July 25. Those numbers came from Rebecca Binstock, the executive director of the ethics commission, who joined this episode of Plain Talk to advertise the fact that the commission is currently accepting applications for new members (find more on that in their press release).  "Any North Dakota resident can serve on the ethics commission," Binstock told us, though there are some exemptions. For instance, if you're currently an elected official, or in a leadership position in a political party, you need not apply. But Binstock also discussed with my co-host Chad Oban the fact that the Ethics Commission has become much more vi

Many Republicans are trying to argue that President Joe Biden opting to end his re-election campaign, and the subsequent consolidation of Democrats behind the candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris, was a "coup." Was it? My co-host Chad Oban and I discussed it on this episode of Plain Talk, where we were also joined by Trista Keith, a now-former member of the Dickinson State University nursing faculty. That faculty has resigned, and the administration at DSU has moved on, opting to use personnel from Mayville State University to provide instruction to its nursing students. Craig, who came on the program to rebut claims made in our previous interview with North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott, said she and her fellow nurses resigned because the credit hour requirements in their contracts were untenable. Hagerott, echoing claims made by DSU President Stephen Easton (who has also resigned though remains in his position as higher ed leaders work on finding a replacement), also claimed that

When President Joe Biden announced an end to his re-election campaign, Adam Goldwyn, chairman of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL, participated in a call with his counterparts from around the country that resulted in a unanimous endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to replace the incumbent at the top of the party's national ticket. "There was overwhelming support for her in that group," Goldwyn told me and my co-host Chad Oban on this episode of Plain Talk. Responding to complaints from Republicans that Biden was pushed out undemocratically after Democratic voters around the country cast their primary ballots for him, Goldwyn said, "there was no cigar-filled back room." "Nobody pushed President Biden out of anything," he said, adding that the party's convention process is now "open" and that the delegates "could vote for anyone they want." Goldwyn says he senses a lot of enthusiasm from Democrats after the shake-up. Also on this episode, Chad and I discuss how Harris's ascendence may impact the race, wh

Dickinson State University, one of the North Dakota University System's four-year institutions, has been thrown into chaos by a labor dispute with a group of nursing faculty. First the faculty, after rejecting a new contract aimed at tamping down what DSU President Stephen Easton too much spending on a program that produces too few students, chose to resign en masse. Then Easton himself tendered his resignation alongside a lengthy statement in which he defended his approach to the dispute. "The simple reality is that, though we love DSU Nursing and want to help it survive, we cannot spend over half a million dollars in compensation expenses for 16 Registered Nurses," he wrote in that statement posted on DSU's website. "That does not work financially." "We're not going to be held hostage by 7 contract-rejecting faculty," Mark Hagerott, chancellor of the university system, said on this episode of Plain Talk. Hagerott told guest co-host Corey Mock and me that "the focus is on the students" who are set to resume

Sandi Sanford, chair of the North Dakota Republican Party, joined this episode of Plain Talk from the GOP's national convention in Milwaukee, where, she said, "the security plan changed drastically" after the attempted assassination of the party's presidential candidate Donald Trump. Republicans have been focused on unity at this event -- two of Trump's top rivals during the primaries, Gov. Ron DeSantis and former ambassador Nikki Haley, endorsed him in speeches at the convention -- but Sanford acknowledged to my co-host Chad Oban and I that this may be a heavy lift. "People know that what we're dealing with in North Dakota with the different factions," she said, initially calling the populist wing of the party the "far right" before correcting herself and describing them as "grassroots." The NDGOP delegation to the national convention wasn't necessarily behind Gov. Doug Burgum potentially being Trump's running mate (Burgum himself was passed over for a delegate slot by the NDGOP's state convention), but Sanf

Gov. Doug Burgum has gone through a "transformation." That's what reporter Stephen Rodrick said on this episode of Plain Talk. He spent a lot of time in North Dakota for a profile of Burgum published recently by Politico. He wrote that the governor has been "rebranding" on his way to a potential place on former President Donald Trump's national ticket. That means that Burgum has, along the arc of his political career, but a lot of different things to different people. What Rodrick found, talking to people who knew Burgum during times in his life, is that many of them feel that many who liked him in the past perhaps feel differently now. "They all had love for him at a certain point," he said, even those who today might be fairly described as Burgum's enemies. "His transformation over the past 3 or 4 months if baffling," Rodrick told my co-host Chad Oban and I. And how will Burgum be received on the national stage if he is Trumps VP pick? Rodrick thinks observers will be surprised. "They're going to be like, '

Senate Majority Leader David Houge, a Republican from Minot, says that if voters approve a ballot measure eliminating property taxes, state lawmakers will be left with a mess. He said that the legislature's appropriators will be tasked with making big spending cuts. He said that members of the taxation and finance committees will have to find new ways to bring in revenues. He also said that reserve funds would likely have to be tapped to make up the roughly $2.6 billion in revenues property taxes generate for local governments every budget cycle. But in 2012, voters rejected a similar ballot measure to eliminate property taxes, in part based on promises from lawmakers that they would fix the problem. My co-host, Chad Oban, asked Hogue why voters should trust them this time around. "We have tried other things that haven't necessarily worked," he said, but this time he sees more willingness from his colleagues to implement things like caps on taxation. We also spoke with Hogue about his recent letter to the edi

Disgraced former state Sen. Ray Holmberg has indicated, through his legal counsel, that he will be pleading guilty to federal criminal charges related to international travel to solicit sex with children. "When that happens," Attorney General Drew Wrigley said on this episode of Plain Talk, "everything that we have becomes a public record." An untold number of public documents, including email messages and more, are currently inaccessible by the news media and the public due to state law that exempts records related to on-going criminal investigations. But once Holmberg official pleads guilty, which will happen later this year, that exemption will go away, and Wrigley says his office will work to preemptively make as much information available to the public as possible. Wrigley also spoke with me and my co-host Chad Oban about the on-going rift between North Dakota and Minnesota over fossil-fuel energy. Minnesota has passed a law mandating that all energy used in the state be from sources that don't emit carb

We covered a lot of ground on this episode of Plain Talk. Rep. Brandy Pyle, a Republican from Casselton, joined to talk about her efforts to curb distractions from devices in the legislative committee she chairs, and to talk about the struggles our society is having with our phone addictions. North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott also joined to discuss the State Board of Higher Education's decision to move on from his leadership. Hagerott characterized it as an amicable transition, though he acknowledged that he doesn't get along with one board member. "I'm not on his Christmast list," Hagerott said, though he declined to mention which board member. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban discuss what we both agreed was a terrible, really bad, no good debate performance from President Joe Biden last night. Want to subscribe to Plain Talk? Search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.