BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – Rick Becker, the driver of the statewide measure to essentially abolish property taxes, said he sees the fundraising efforts of the “vote yes” and “vote no” camps as a classic David-and-Goliath matchup.
Supporters of Measure 4 have raised just over $105,000 for a group called End The Unfair Property Tax. The coalition opposed to Measure 4, Keep It Local, has raised more than $1.8 million, according to campaign finance reports available as of early Friday afternoon.
Becker described the donors supporting Measure 4 as “regular North Dakota folks.”
“It’s completely grassroots,” said Becker, the organizer of End Unfair Property Tax.
Keep It Local has about 113 member organizations, said organizer Chad Oban, of North Dakota United, which represents teachers and public employees. Members include the North Dakota League of Cities, Greater North Dakota Chamber and local chambers of commerce and electric co-ops.
“When you have a coalition the size of ours … it does create a situation where maybe fundraising is a little bit easier,” Oban said.