Lobbying with city letterhead shows 'double standard,' Fargo commissioner says

FARGO — Mayor Tim Mahoney and City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn wrote a letter last week to state lawmakers opposing a bill to curtail Renaissance Zone tax breaks, but it was the letterhead that received the most attention this week.

Commissioner Tony Gehrig said there seems to be a "double standard" because was called out at a commission meeting for doing almost exactly the same thing. And, while he stated he represented himself in his letter opposing tax breaks, the mayor and Piepkorn indicated they represented the city even though commissioners didn't voted to take a position on House Bill 1182, he said.

On Feb. 13, two days before the date on their letter, the commission agreed to a protocol for lobbying lawmakers that required commissioners to state if they represented themselves or the city as a whole. It also mentioned that if commissioners voted on a position, that would be the city's position.

The mayor said the commission has voted many times on Renaissance Zone matters and the majority supports the existing policy, which would be changed by HB 1182. He noted, too, that the protocol agreed to made no mention of letterheads.

Read more: http://www.inforum.com/news/4224975-lobbying-city-letterhead-shows-double-standard-fargo-commissioner-says