Poll: 59% Of North Dakotans Want Legacy Fund To Cover Replacement of Property Taxes

Poll did not attempt to explain to respondents that the legislature has already been raiding, diverting, and squandering the earnings from the Legacy Fund already.

This morning I woke up to new and very interesting poll from the North Dakota News Cooperative group. I have been granted permission to pass it along to you.

“These results leave no doubt. The people of North Dakota want major policy changes and they know what they want their sovereign wealth fund to be used for,” said Dr. Trevor Smith, the Chief Research Officer of WPA Intelligence, the national research firm that conducted the survey. “They are sending a powerful message to your State Investment Board.”

Specifically, by a 60% to 18% margin, voters want the Legacy Fund to be more concerned about economic development projects in the state and less about returns from investments in stocks and bonds. And, by a 59% to 17% margin, voters are even open to using the Legacy Fund for things like property tax relief which go beyond the traditional definitions of investments. “These large margins tell me that the voters want the Legacy Fund to directly benefit themselves and their communities,” …