Dwight Wrangham Column: Landowners Don't Support Conservation Measure

North Dakotans appreciate the outdoors and support protecting the state’s wildlife habitat and outdoor heritage, but the Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Amendment wildly misses the mark in trying to accomplish this.

This measure would funnel North Dakota tax dollars to non-profit groups to buy land, which will drive up rural land prices, take agricultural land out of production and have a major impact on private property and property rights. If approved, private property that is now being taxed would be purchased by the non-profit groups driving this measure, along with various state and federal agencies.

What would this mean?

It would mean a reduction in the property tax base and an increase in our property taxes.

Non-profit conservation groups and government agencies already have millions of acres of North Dakota land set aside for wildlife production and hunting. How much more do they need?

We all support protecting North Dakota’s outdoors, wildlife and heritage, but not when it creates government-subsidized competition for private property.

I will not support the Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Amendment.