Supporter of defeated measures criticizes ND gov

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota Republican Gov. John Hoeven cruised to re-election with about 74 percent of the vote for a third term, but he's not popular with one member of his own party.

Rep. Dave Weiler, R-Bismarck, said he's disappointed that Hoeven "went knocking on doors telling people to vote no" on Measures 1 and 2 on Tuesday's election ballot.

The first measure would have created a permanent trust fund for surplus oil taxes and the second would have cut income and corporate tax rates.

"We're not going to quit. We need to take some of this oil money coming in and protect some of it," Weiler said Wednesday. "It would be nice if we didn't have the opposition from the governor. Maybe in two years, if he runs against (Democratic Sen. Byron) Dorgan, we won't."

Don Larson, Hoeven's campaign manager, said the governor does what he thinks it right even if that sometimes goes against the wishes of fellow Republicans.

"You know, I'm not going to get into that," Larson said of Weiler's comments. "We're looking ahead to the future here, and to the next session and doing the work of the people."

Unofficial returns with all the precincts counted Wednesday show the oil trust fund measure got 64 percent no votes and 36 percent yes votes.

Measure 2, the tax cut proposal, went down with 70 percent opposed and 30 percent in favor.

The state Tax Department had estimated it would drop state tax collections by $414 million every two years. Supporters said some of that money should go back to North Dakotans. Opponents worried that education, human services and other programs would suffer.

Weiler said opponents got a boost from the National Education Association, the North Dakota Education Association and the North Dakota Public Employees Association, which contributed to a campaign that had more than $550,000 to fight the measures. Weiler said his group was outspent 14 to 1.

NDEA president Dakota Draper said his group sometimes is "the only group between us and some really bad ideas."

The state Board of Higher Education also opposed both measures.

"As soon as they see a bunch of money, they want a chunk," Weiler said, referring to the education groups. "They felt that instead of taking this money and putting it in a trust fund and helping the entire state — and education long term — they thought it was better we spend it all right now."

Richie Smith, president of the state Board of Higher Education, and Draper said they agreed with the concept of the oil trust fund, but thought the ballot measure put too many restrictions on accessing the money.

"I just thought it was a bit flawed," Smith said.

"Dave (Weiler) may think we want to spend every nickel and every dime of this oil money, but that would be fiscally stupid," Draper said. "We're not opposed to a trust fund, but we thought this was more like a locked box.

"Maybe we can work together and come up with something between the two," he said.

Smith said he strongly opposed Measure 2, which would have reduced most of the state's individual income tax rates by 50 percent and cut corporate rates by 15 percent.

"I do tax work," said Smith, a Wahpeton attorney. "I have yet to have people complain about what they spend on state income tax in North Dakota.

"Same with corporate taxes. They're not high here. But people do complain about their property taxes," he said.

Robert Harms, a Bismarck attorney and promoter of the two measures, said North Dakotans have not heard the last of fiscal conservatives.

"We have just begun the process of returning money back to the taxpayers," Harms said.

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