People are becoming interested in West Fargo, one of North Dakota’s fastest-growing cities, not because of its size, but because of how it manages public funds. David Withee, a long-time citizen and member of the West Fargo Tax Advisory Committee (TAP), has serious concerns about how the city manages its finances, particularly when it comes to running and closing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) zone. His letter, based on his personal observations, identifies a pattern of poor management that both local taxpayers and politicians should be aware of.
Years of mistakes and unanswered questions
According to Withee, the city’s financial issues have been ongoing for quite some time. West Fargo has had four different finance directors in the last four years, indicating that its financial operations are not particularly reliable. The utility billing issue in 2023, as well as the frequent post-budget errors in the previous two years, which were only discovered after the budgets had been passed, demonstrated how unstable things were.
The recent early closure of the Charleswood Office Park TIF district, however, appears to be the final straw. The city claimed that all loans and bonds were paid off in 2022, however documents from 2023 to 2025 reveal that funds were put aside in the budget for such debts. Audits for 2022 and 2023 demonstrate that bond payments are still being made. If these obligations were indeed paid off, why wasn’t the TIF district closed immediately, as the North Dakota Century Code requires?
Questioning Financial Responsibility
It is not only a technology issue; it also undermines trust between the city authority and the public. TIF districts are not intended to be sites where money sits for a long time after its purpose has been fulfilled. They are intended to promote economic growth. For three more years, the city withheld property taxes intended for other institutions, such as schools and parks. As a result, as the city waited for their contributions, key services may have had to operate on less money.
The reason offered, personnel concerns, is even more concerning. This remark does not make sense, especially since sources indicate that staffing levels remained constant. If this type of poor management is being overlooked due to imprecise references to “staffing,” what else could be quietly slipping through the cracks?
What Does This Mean for West Fargo and Other Locations
This scenario in West Fargo should serve as a warning to cities and towns across the United States. Public finance must be open; it is not an option. The City Commission’s decision to allow such discrepancies, combined with the lack of response from consultants and auditors, indicates that a system needs to be modified.
People in Fargo clearly want more accountability, as former commissioner Tony Gehrig and others advocate for changes to how the city is managed. The city may transition from a commission to a ward-based council. If Fargo makes the step, it may create a precedent for other cities, including West Fargo, to examine how they spend money and manage their governments.
The Next Steps
The most critical thing West Fargo can do right now is have a third party do a thorough investigation into how the TIF funds are being managed and issue a clear public report. People who live and work in the city deserve clear answers about all public monies, not just the Charleswood TIF district. It is not about blaming others; it is about rebuilding faith in local government.
Also read: The Rise of Curtis Yarvin: Why a Tech Theorist’s Monarchist Vision is Capturing the American Right
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