Update the plan, improve the process, and check the consequences. That means initiating a focused, time-bound review of the county's outdated Comprehensive Plan to plan for growth before it costs us more. Review processes so residents, landowners, businesses, and developers can better understand and navigate county requirements. Require clearer review before major decisions that shift services, exit agreements, create departments, add responsibilities, or affect taxpayers long-term.

Balancing increasing costs and preventing that burden from being placed on the shoulders of residents and landowners. The North Dakota state legislature has taken steps to meaningfully address property tax relief in the state, but the responsibility for the prudent use of taxpayer dollars rests solely with the local governing body. The only way to address the issue is to look at every dollar spent and ask: is it prudent? Is it necessary? How can tax dollars be saved while growing our tax base?

Burleigh County cannot solve housing needs alone but we can be a leader and good partner in moving forward the work that's already been started. I would focus on predictable planning, efficient permitting, infrastructure that supports responsible growth, and better coordination with cities, developers, the Housing Authority, and employers. We need housing options for young families, workers, seniors, and people on fixed incomes without creating more red tape or pushing costs onto taxpayers.

It is more important than ever for local governments to be fully committed to planning as there's no bailout in the future to just add another mill to cover something that goes awry. Regardless if the 3% cap is changed in the upcoming legislative session, local governments cannot use a wait and see approach as they engage in their 2027 budget planning process. It is crucial that voters select candidates that are strong on checking cost, capacity, and consequences before making major decisions.

Follow the lead of the Highway Dept. As the department’s structure is set up, their operational needs are covered first and then whatever is left over is dedicated to projects. With the cost of materials increasing by roughly four times over the past 10 years, the department takes great effort to prioritize infrastructure projects that will yield the best result for the entire county. The worst roads are often the most expensive to fix and it is more cost-effective to maintain good roads.

Over the next 4 years, we will need to work on 3 very important items. Continue to create meaningful ordinances for the residents that have transferred from the city of Bismarck's ETA to the county jurisdiction, continue to grow the Missouri Valley Complex and structure a Parks Department. All of these items will allow the County to Grow Responsibly

I believe our largest challenge is that we govern reactively rather than proactively. Over the past term, that is very evident. The county must go though a Strategic Plan which is something that I don't think that they ever have

Burleigh County's real estate market remains strong and attractive, but sustaining that momentum requires deliberate action. Infrastructure must keep pace with the growth. Planning and Zoning has been working to ensure that property owners don't face unnecessary costs all while they are making sure that our growth is safe and secure

Burleigh County will face issues with the 3% cap in the 2028 or 2029 budget cycle. My conversation with staff as we created the 2026 budget, was that we will now need to plan for 5 years ahead rather than the one year cycle like they have in the past.

With 1600 miles of roadways in Burleigh County, that task is daunting. However, for the 2026 Budget, we were able to increase their budget by about $3 million dollars annually. This will allow the infrastructure to be maintained or replaced a much quicker pace.

Finish stream lining Burleigh County government, exiting the Garrison Diversion District and saving the citizens of the county one mill of unnecessary tax ($730,000 this year). In the near future the tax will hit $1,000,000 per year. Since inception we have paid $10,300,000 into this scam and only received benefits of $850,000. Cut any wasteful spending and let the citizens keep their hard earned money. We also continue to complete the Provident Life building to consolidate government.

Contrary to what is being said by media and others, we have already started a strategic plan for the county. Now that we have managed to get over 12,000 people out of the ETA zone, we can include this change into plan. Finishing this is a top priority.

Low income housing in the county is in the hands of the state. Even though it is called Burleigh County Housing Authority, it is state run, we have little to no say in it. Regular housing is market driven, and we cannot interfere with private enterprise.

Yes at some time in the future. All commissioners need to manage their portfolios to comply with state law. Laws can change, but for now good budgeting is the name of the game.

The main maintenance projects right now are finishing the county office building (see above) and maintaining the county roads. As portfolio holder of the Highway Dept. we have already stream lined. The roads took a beating this winter and we are hard at work fixing them. The Highway Dept. was able to upgrade and add new and used equipment that was needed years ago. All of this was done within budget. Once again good budgeting is the key.

protect private property rights, keep my eyes on the budget and help out with the Road portfolio That is what I do to make a living now

Data Centers, I believe that they could play a big part in the county if we plan it correctly, I do not want them to raise the cost of electricity for all our county and State residents, I do not support the county taking any part in the infrastructure building to put extra burden on the taxpayer for the long term, I would not allow them to use our water resources, and I would make sure that they added to the tax base in the county. Also the 1% sales tax and the conflict with the State law

I would be great if there was a silver bullet for keeping housing cost down or even lower for more affordable housing but I do not at this time have a plan for that but I am open to any suggestions anyone would have I will listen to our citizens !!

The county has been doing a great job with lowering the county portion of our property taxes, county portion was lower this year and will lower more next year because of the 1% sales tax that was placed to fund the Jail project, that has been paid off and now the tax will go to all the other area's that can keep a lid on raising property taxes

I build roads for a living, we had a bad spring this season with our early thaw and the roads took a beating, I think we need to take a look at who is damaging our roads and keep a eye on more restrictions especially in spring thaw situations like this season

Government transparency, improving departments and making Burleigh County a better place to work.

Our biggest challenge right now is a lack of leadership. Our current commission has plenty to say, however they lack sufficient knowledge of the workings of the county to give effective leadership that helps. I have worked in and for Burleigh County since 2014, I’ve done the work and dealt with many of the issues the County faces. I will put these years of experience to work and use it to make lasting and effective improvements.

The best thing the County can do is to keep taxes low and provide good services. This is a constant challenge but if we can make Burleigh County attractive to good jobs while working to think of new ways to reduce the tax burden on homeowners, that can help the housing needs of our citizens.

This cap absolutely impacts Burleigh County’s budget. This cap may have seemed like a good idea at the time the law was passed, but the implementation of it is much more difficult and may lead to serious issues in the future. I’m not against increase caps, however it needs to be done in a way that works. Also I am disappointed that while the State placed that restriction on Counties, they did not place it on themselves.

Since first becoming the County Auditor I have been saying we need to implement a capital improvement fund. This would help to avoid most large, unforeseen maintenance and improvement projects from taking us by surprise which would help us prepare for the future and avoid major spikes in the County’s tax levy.

My priorities are responsible budgeting, professional county government, thoughtful growth and strong essential services. We need to respect taxpayers, plan for infrastructure and growth, and work better with the City, townships and other elected officials. I want to help bring the temperature down at meetings and keep the focus on solving problems. Good government doesn't require everyone to agree; it requires people who can work together when they don't.

Burleigh County’s biggest challenge is balancing continued growth and rising costs with the need to protect taxpayers. Roads, public safety, public health, detention and other essential services still need to be funded while revenues are increasingly constrained. I would focus on disciplined budgeting, long-term planning, setting clear priorities and making sure growth helps pay for the infrastructure it requires. We need to plan ahead rather than react after problems arise.

Burleigh County can help address housing needs by making sure our zoning, permitting and development processes are clear, efficient and predictable. We should review regulations that unnecessarily add cost while still protecting safety, property owners and responsible development. The County should work with cities, builders and developers to plan infrastructure and encourage a range of housing options that meet our growing community’s needs.

Yes. The 3% cap will impact the county budget as costs for roads, public safety, public health, detention, staffing and other essential services continue to rise. It makes disciplined budgeting and long-term planning even more important. The County will need to set clear priorities, look for efficiencies and partnerships, and carefully evaluate new spending. The goal should be to live within the law while maintaining the services residents expect.

We need to treat infrastructure maintenance as a long-term responsibility, not something we address only when it becomes urgent. I would prioritize projects based on safety, condition, usage and cost, then develop a realistic multi-year plan within available resources. Deferred maintenance often costs taxpayers more in the long run. We also need to coordinate with cities, townships and developers when projects and growth overlap.