For the last several legislative sessions, there has been a debate over Property Tax Relief and Property, starting in 2009. and in 2010.

Now, as the state is facing it's budget problems, and the debate over what to do about property taxes reheats - the legislature, elected officials, and taxpayers must look at what Bureigh County did as a first step in the process to reforming property taxes locally.

The legislature can throw money at the problem all it wants, but until local governments start addressing their own policy decisions when it comes to tax-giveaways (called "incentives"), tax exemptions, and other tax policies there will be no real reform.

The state legislature for the last 8 years has been bailing out local governments, and enabling these issues to go unaddressed.

With the state's ability to continue these local government bailout programs in the balance now, the time has come for local taxpayers across the state to demand their local governments start to figure out what they can do to minimize the impact of future state spending cuts.

If local governments fail to make these moves, local taxpayers should hold their local government officials responsible for that failure - not the state legislature.

The state legislature must demand that local governments start this process as well.

The Burleigh County Commission has taken the role as Trailblazer in this process - who will follow their leadership and example?