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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Over 20 area residents met at the Vault on March 28 to discuss their values and to identify concerns that they have related to both the North Dakota State Legislature and our federal government.
The three North Dakota issues that were identified as the most important were, the need to adequately fund higher education, the need for more mental health and addiction counselors and ways to allow for reciprocity between states for these counselors and the desire by those in attendance to tap into the Legacy Fund in order to provide for services for our North Dakota citizens.
On the national agenda the concern over Russia’s interference in our presidential election received the most votes and many attendees voiced serious concerns about this issue.
The second most important issue was the need to take climate change seriously and to not gut the EPA which oversees the clean air and clean water acts in the U.S. President Trump is proposing to cut funding of the EPA nearly 30%. Sheryl Solberg, an attendee, said, “I am concerned for North Dakota and the world’s environment on many levels given the direction taken on the national level.”
The 1990 Clean Air Act was passed under the administration of the Republican President George H. Bush. It was designed to control air pollution on a national level, and is one of the most comprehensive air quality laws in the world. Air pollution causes cancer and heart disease, mercury poisoning and makes life unpleasant.
The Clean Water Act, passed under Republican President Richard Nixon is the primary federal law in the U.S. governing water pollution.
Concern over President Trump’s executive order on immigration ranked third. Sharon Buhr pointed out that many jobs here in Valley City would go unfilled if it weren’t for immigrants from a host of countries, including Sudan, Liberia and the Philippines. These immigrants are working at the Sheyenne Care Center, the Sheyenne Valley Special Education Unit, CHI Mercy Health, Open Door Center and other businesses in the city.
The Affordable Health Care Act, allowing anyone to obtain health care insurance, was ranked number four by those in attendance.
After a discussion of the issues, attendees were provided with postcards, and the addresses of our governor, our national legislators and the president and attendees then wrote these individuals stating their personal concerns.
The next Indivisible meeting will be Tuesday, April 25 at the Vault at 7 pm. Organizer Al Adams, encourages people who are concerned with the direction of the President’s political actions to attend and identify how we as citizens can make our voices heard in this democracy.