Five Pro-Freedom Policies for the Legislature to Consider
Friday, December 05, 2008
Standard Article by Brett Narloch
Issue: Budget & Spending

With legislators gearing up for another legislative session, it is important for them, as well as any other citizen, to understand the proper role of state government. Is the state an institution designed to provide goodies for electoral winners? A thousand times, no. The proper role of state government is to protect individual liberty; that is, protect individuals, and their property, from each other and protect them, and their property, from government itself. Sometimes I wonder if state government has strayed outside of that mission.

The following are five policy ideas designed to enhance freedom and limit government:

1.		Government transparency – Only when citizens fully know what their government is doing can they truly be free. Every penny of taxpayer money spent should be put on easily searchable and readable websites. There is no reason that is cannot be done in the 21st century. In addition, all government meetings should be videotaped and broadcast on the web or archived on a website for citizen viewing.
2.		Taxpayer-funded lobbying – Very few people understand how much of their hard-earned money is given to taxing entities, only for those entities to spend it lobbying for higher taxes or more regulation. It must become illegal for taxpayer dollars to be used to lobby. Furthermore, the definition of lobbyist must be altered to include government bureaucrats, who currently scoot around such labels.
3.		Government-funded economic development – The government is neither qualified nor constitutionally able to give direct incentives to businesses. Article X, Section 18 of the ND Constitution specifically forbids any government from giving money or benefits to private individuals and businesses; yet, amazingly, this practice persists and is rapidly expanding. Imation, Alchem, Quality One Wireless, Alien Technologies, Info-tech, etc… have either left ND or have failed to live up to their obligations after receiving huge state and local “perks.”
4.		Extra-territorial zoning – In 1776 American colonists declared their independence from England rallying around the cries of “no taxation without representation.” In North Dakota, we see regulation without representation. Cities are allowed to zone outside of their corporate limits. Those living in the extra-territorial area cannot vote in city elections but are subject to the will of city government. Extra-territorial zoning should be completely eliminated.
5.		Pharmacy restrictions – An archaic law exists in North Dakota that prevents large chain pharmacies from doing business in North Dakota. The effect of this law is higher prescription drug costs. When competition is allowed to exist, consumers win. Currently, North Dakotans for Affordable Healthcare is working to get that law repealed. Free markets work. Restrictions on who can operate pharmacies should be repealed.

These are five practical areas where government can, and should, improve. They will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of wasted dollars and go a long way towards fulfilling government’s true role which is to protect individual freedom.

Brett Narloch is the Executive Director of the North Dakota Policy Council. Visit their website at www.policynd.org.