Community Bowl is Big Issue

The issue causing the most discussion in Minot is the Community Bowl funding question - Measure 2...  More »

The issue causing the most discussion in Minot is the Community Bowl funding question - Measure 2. The plan calls for taking half of the income from the one-cent sales tax designed to pay for the Northwest Area Water Supply project and use it to pay the majority of the cost of building a new multi-sport complex at the site of the current Herb Parker Stadium at MSU. Opponents of the funding plan say it amounts to a nine million dollar tax increase and could leave the fund to pay for NAWS short of what is needed. Proponents say NAWS funding will not be hurt and the sales tax is a reasonable way to fund the complex. The leader of a group opposing the funding plan called NAWS Only says the plan amounts to a breach of trust between the city of Minot and those in rural areas who support Minot businesses. (Ron Kramer, NAWS Only) That is something that goes back years ago when there was an attempt to divert money from the NAWS fund to the MAGIC Fund. The people who live out in the rural areas have dying or dead main streets and we don't have a choice other than to go into Minot and do our shopping and we just feel that we are held captive by the voters in Minot with the sales tax. But the chairman of the committee which designed the plan says there's no effort to hinder NAWS. Rod Romine says the group he led chose this funding plan because they believe the money is there for NAWS and the proposed Bowl. (Rod Romine - Community Bowl Committee Chairman) I am disappointed that is has turned into a divisive issue between the City of Minot and the rural opponents. There is enough money in the NAWS fund to fund both projects. They have said all along that they are not against the Community Bowl project and we are certainly for the NAWS project. The money is there for both projects so lets do it. The sales tax plan would raise nine to nine-point-five million dollars of the projected price tag of 11 million dollars for the facility. The rest of the money would be raised privately.  « Less