townships have no taxing authority. they got hundreds of miles of roads the responsible for. cost a lot to gravel and maintain and pay those roads. with the maintainer to keep them level. they need a lot of work. concern about them in particular. when it comes to how he could replace it if it does pass, what are we going to do? people will be lining up and asking the state for help. that's going to be tough, like we are talking about either cut services which will happen or raise taxes are most likely it would be both. who wants to see a statewide sales tax? who wants to see special fees placed on anything from hunting, morpheus on hunting and licensing fees, to specialties in the cities or finds such as the prairie dog fund is been a great benefit to me people across the state.

maybe the legislature as to backtrack on that and say it's been good while it lasted. we can't afford to do that anymore. so if it does pass will have our work cut out for us in the low dosage of the republicans of that 30 years of super majority to take care of this and have done nothing about it yet. >> michael coachman. >> what people need to realize is freedom is always attached to the land. you are not free if you don't own your property. if you go to to three years without paying property tax they will come and take it, which i'm going to get back to an little bit. like i i was ten when it opened up, that the constitution has a lot of things already made out. here article ten in a north dakota constitution as of the legislative the solution that prohibit from raising revenue or to defray the expense of the state to the levying of a tax of assessed value of real or personal property. it always states on how that is supposed to be taken care of with businesses.

we have two individuals who worked the legislative and the not even following the constitution. that is one of the biggest issues we have. it spells out what needs to be done for an individual, which is key to freedom. what no one wants to address is what happens when people can't pay their property tax. they, confiscate all those lands. you go to different counties, for the last couple of years and see him and people who lost their homes because they could not afford the property tax, all because it was in generations to to three years, it's gone. as far as covering the cost, here we have what what youy seen in the newspaper, all the expenditures the state hasn't done. first of all as governor i will cut all the services that really don't have a purpose, doesn't eat a constitution value.

then we start going through in doing audits. we know everyplace needs to be audited. what you do an audit you can find it where the money is. the sad thing is your talk about where the money comes from, -- in my done? okay. >> were going to give anybody else a chance someone or bite at the apple and start again with representative armstrong. >> i mean, the answer to this question is we have to be how to get -- a lot of this is good. we've had 120,000 people come into the state the last ten years. we that growth, , communities tt were shrinking and dying in western north dakota that growing and those are going up and all those different things. you have real opportunities for things that never existed when we are first year. when i graduated from high school nobody state. there were no opportunities in western north dakota. those things are great but not great for the senior citizen who also interest selling their home

and they are saying valuation. the army ways in which we can address this issue but it can't just be what we do in the past which is why downs, by downs, bytedance without significant reform. there's real opportunities. legacy fund is going with the interest can do this. we've got utilize that and give direct relief to with the people are asking for the most and that is in the property tax from. >> senator piepkorn. >> this basically wants to tax transfer. the money has to come from somewhere. it is our obligation as a state, what is or will it boiled down to? taking care of roads in providing public education. this lets a lot of the big businesses out-of-state corporations off the hook, railroads. a lot of that central assessed property including railroads in transmission lines and some pipeline property. that makes up not all of the property tax but a big chunk of it. the couple plans that are being

talked about. there are probably a total of 40 property tax relief plans, property tax restructuring plans that people are having written by legislative council. a couple that an interested in is boosting the least and pray relief, boosting the hundred dollars residential property tax credit to $1000 per primary residence and making it permanent. another is, this is pretty drastic, and radical. we take heavy-duty featuring and a lot of talking and negotiating but having the state ante up the third of the cost of education that we're not paying for right now. the state pays for two-thirds of the cost of educating a student k-12 student, i have we take a look at start a conversation with paying for it all, reducing the pressure on school districts. school districts the largest cause, the greatest cost raising the property tax. if the state could find it that

would reduce the pressure on schools to keep putting out these bond issues that often don't pass. >> michael coachman, you have about a minute. >> as i was saying no one wants to let the people have their homes. do you got people who are locked in income come have to make a choice of making a monthly payment, medicine or food. we as individuals are supposed to be the owner of a property and wants people don't own property. that is the key to freedom. as far as the funding, like i said, we have this. we have things that we could cut. well we heard back in october we get billions and billions of dollars. at how is it helping the individual? as far as meeting, come up with the cost, here at the turn of the century we couldn't even fly, but now we can go almost

mach five. we have technologies that a computer, we could put in our pocket, we can't come up with a plan to fix the budget here in north dakota? really? you guys said years, years to try to fix the budget and fix property tax. ask me as governor i will eliminate it and i will do some cutting, and we will make the government downsize and we will get the funding. >> our next topic has to do with the ethics commission. north dakota's ethics commission is looking at changes onto an ethics complaint should be filed. do you believe are ethics rules should be changed to make things more transparent? senator piepkorn. >> thank you, dave. this ethics commission was established because of a bill sponsored by fargo democrat

senator tim mather and. it is in existence. it's very, very slow in getting formed up and form of these things that you're talking about, guidelines, duties, responsibilities membership, types of complaints come how they're handled. i will say that the legislature initially really dragged its feet. just because something is resent the legislature still can either help move it along or can drag its feet and just try to np. in this case impede the implementation of an ethics commission. if you see some of things happening you probably understand why there's a resistance to having an ethics commission at all. we've got a good leader of the ethics commission, so who's in charge of it. i think she will be effective in

form and get up and establishing the guidelines and getting the processes in place. we are still our feet along those lines but it needs to be there. the people want it. i think we will get there. >> michael coachman. >> it's a waste as far as happy ethics committee is moving for a simple reason. everybody is protecting everybody. they are not enforcing what is already being done. there's been unethical events within, as far as i know, i've been there and north dakota, but they get pushed aside or because cronyism. until you start in making everybody accountable, it's just a band-aid on an artery. you can't do nothing until we make a change in government where people are not afraid to stand up and say hey look, this is wrong. because most of the power really

belongs to the people. they're the ones who say look, this person is doing wrong. you need to do something about it. but no one really wants to take care of the real problem. it's just a nice way of saying we'll take care of it, you just go back to sleep. >> representative armstrong, although that further, the north dakota monitor data storage you are familiar with on your oil and gas assets. in terms of ethics d believe you can adequately regulate the industry and avoid conflict of interest? >> it's been a secret i've been in the oil and gas entry since i started in this crazy run in 2012. the single most important thing that is probably happened, or consequential generational change in north dakota has been a bunch of companies figure out how to crack the boston and the three forks. it's providing generational wealth and opportunity not just for this generation of the next generation in north dakotans to come. having some he knows that

industry knows what it takes to do that is a benefit not a detriment. at the same time one of the things that frustrates me is to demonize the industry. we don't see a transit of banker can't vote on banking regulation or farmer can't vote in any form in regulation or businessman, teco to build a private equity i can't vote in any of those things. we have a specific opportunity to address it and recuse yourself. at the same time if you have asset and southwest north dakota and a vote on the oil industry in northwest north dakota that is that the direct conflict. you have to talk to people come to see people you're talking to come make sure you disclose those things and to your other overly question with regards to the ethics committee there are thousand of the ways to be more transparent and we should do that. you should have to do an open records request to get things. it's the 21st century. a lot of the stuff to be put online. one of the things that frustrated me as you don't get the whole quote is i spent 80-90

hours a year doing my financial disclosure can hire a campaign lawyer and accountant full time. it's it's a great process if you have the resources and have the office staff to do that. we don't have with north dakota legislature. they are volunteers of sb way in which you can a more transparency, more disclosure but you're not causing a volunteer legislation serves every two years for 81 days to have to fork over ten -12 five grant to file an ethics disclosure. we need more transparency, , moe really available but we should recognize that the greatest form of representative government i think in the country because everybody gets to go and do a day job other than the 81 days in which they serve in the state senate or the status. >> thank for your answers on that. [inaudible] >> no. we have to move on. we got a lot of topics i want to get to. our next topic is the believe the state should have a voucher program for school choice? i'm going to start with michael coachman.

>> i'm going to have to come i know what you're saying but i'm going to address this issue what he just said. in 2017 he passed sb 2134 talking about giving mineral rights back to the individuals here in north dakota. when he talked to the legislators and said hey look, this is going to be beneficial to previous owners, some things he failed to mention. one, that the state owned that and that when it went back to was no previous owners. and two, he did not disclose that he had oil wells in that land. correct me if i'm wrong, did you not? >> yeah, you're wrong. >> okay. well, i got maps and documentation. >> i had zero mineral acres of her health in suspense by the state of north dakota. he's talk about the lakebed minerals bill. probably as long as i serve the politics i will not be more

proud of the piece of legislation i passed because the state of north dakota redistricted the lake and sent letters to north dakota farmers and ranchers who had been scratched a living out of that dirt for generations. they said hey you don't own your minerals anymore. we do. when those people came cand base of what her options? nothing. we century literature we took it. i worked very closely with the attorney general, the governor at the time. we didn't get the process we wanted so we introduce the bill. the state took those minerals from north dakota farmers and ratchet we gave them back. i was really proud of that. >> not sure because there is none. anything after three years that the state owns there is no previous owner. >> may have been buying and selling leases on minerals for generations. there are no owners on that land. we got documentation. [inaudible] >> no, it's a reason come for some reasons to about ethical. but it is going to not be ethical with this, he's that

going to be as governor. that's key. that's key. people need honest people in government. >> you need to let melt away in if you want. >> i think people understand now kelly's position in oil, his company, is how the company owns over 300 wells. he has significant income from that. i just get my sources on the news that we trust. at any rate, talk about recusing yourself. there are only three members on industrial commission. a lot of conversations that take place it's the governor, , the agriculture commission and the attorney general. they've all been republicans for the past several years, 30 years. not quite 30 years but close if you add it all up. a lot of conversations take place are not recorded in the minutes. for example, should have recuse myself? those conversations don't have to be recorded in the minutes. what several issues to come up

in the industrial commission regarding oil regulation and gas regulation and energy questions. and if kelly is going to be recusing himself from every issue that comes up, that deals with those, that leaves two members on the commission. they pretty much march in lockstep anyway. having a democratic nonpartisan leak government will add transparency to the conversations that are going on within daschle commission and provide balance when it comes to voting on these issues as well. >> i'd like to get back to vouchers is willing to talk about it and we will start with mr. coachman. >> yes, i believe doctors are good. i believe parents should have the opportunity to send a child to whatever program they want, either public school, private school, homeschool. yes. the power needs to be in the parents and and but i would take a lot of that power away from

the voice from the parents. i think this would be a good thing. >> senator ernst extra i believe in more parental involvement. i believe vouchers are not necessarily the right approach. you can see this and other states by the way. before vouchers passed in arizona tuition and private schools raised. the key is taking sure i have two kids in public school, two kids have gone to two different public school system over the last five years. we nationalize education arguments far too often. i want to localized in. i read at the education my kids get in public schools are responsible school choice abide it allows for the money to follow the paris is really good approach to do things. i don't think it has to be either/or. we can find our public school system, have the best public school system in the country and still allow for significant more parental autonomy in school choice. >> senator piepkorn. >> i'll tell you, dave, if we passed a property tax we will a hard time funding anybody's education. in the meantime the school

choice, it's real. it's a lovely term that sounds fantastic, and what it's hiding, we have a tough enough time now paying for our public education. we are. it are states responsibility i like to see the state of our financial commitment to public education, and taking money away right now from public education for vouchers, any money you take and send in that direction is going to be less money for the public education we have now, are. our teachers are fantastic at the straps. they're buying things out of their own pocket to provide for the classrooms right now. it's always been possible for the private schools to get children, students into their schools have either wanted for athletics or who needed, according to the parents, this particular environment. another thing is most of the private schools do not are not

required to offer the same services to students perhaps with disabilities. we cannot start chipping away at the funding for public education in favor of private education. it's simple as that. i couldn't explain my stance any clearer than that. >> kennett had a follow-up on the. >> was all give you one minister against the constitution, north dakota constitution says an article eight of education the legislative assembly shall provide a uniform system of free public school throughout the state beginning with primary and extend it for through all gp to and including higher education, except the legislative assembly may authorize tuition fees and service charge to assist in the finance of public schools of higher education. you are arguing about something the state constitution is already stating that they are supposed to fund 100%. thank you. >> i happen to agree with that.

i believe in my statement. >> were not doing it. that's what property tax has nothing to do with them funding this. >> okay. i need to get kelly armstrong in to hear his response. >> the more autonomy you can give parents and the more you can do these things, i think the better off you are. i do want to say and a mean this sincerely come in and a program that involves school choice, the money has to follow the kid, and the porous catholic kid in that community needs have the opportunity to does education. i don't think any school choice program that is long to subsidize tuition for existing stewards is right approach. the other edge is i wholly reject the argument it's either/or. i don't think it is. like i said you can't as the more autonomy and the more choice you're giving parents involved in their kids education, the better our education all the way round is going to be. >> thirty seconds. >> i i know mr. armstrong chose his running mate, lieutenant governor because she voted for

private vouchers for schools in the last legislative session. she also voted to end the north dakota benefits for teachers. one of the great attractants to teachers, to the profession here in north dakota, a good retirement system which is now taken away from guaranteed to go ahead and do with what you want, put in the stock market and see what happens. i think people would benefit from doing that. >> our next topic then is childcare. we hear a lot from parent who can't file a confined childcare. many of the centers are full and if waiting list. should the state be doing more to support childcare? senator ernst on. >> yes, i was just -- i to the childcare facility in leeds. i've seen what watford seediest and for all those things. they started a program and is funny for childcare. found out last night the turner at a background check and five days. have been a hindrance for

significant period of time. when you're offering $18-$20 an hour for a job and takes six weeks to get a background check, i can guarantee you and every other community in the state in every community in the state there are the same types of jobs that exist. you can't build your way out of it. we built on five childcare centers all across the state but if you don't have the people to work and incentives to do that. one thing i learned last night i did know because i've been in d.c. for the last six years is there a grant programs of knowledge of the things we place it on the childcare facility. the people are trying to run these childcare facility on a time to write a grant come from listings that. the idea was there in place then the last legislative session. we have to streamline it, make it easier. we have to incentivize it and we got incentivized businesses and communities to do that. i don't think we should put the blame on the person who's probably trying to hire three extra spots running around credit take care of toddlers entering such a noble job. it's your workforce issue.

it security growth issue. it's a very issue. anybody knows a first-time mom probably the scariest time of the life is a first data traffic it off at daycare and want to come back and pick them up but it's a huge impact issue that affects all other aspects of early committee and economy in north dakota. and if we have to do a better job. >> senator piepkorn. >> a lot of the childcare strain and financial responsibility and the woes the mike mueller .co fall on single parents who are really in a bind -- to parent house looking off into the joking. the state should do several things. this all leads back to work for. >> a lot of things were taught of the to workforce. and what it paid off? made workers. it comes up all the time. how about the state wraps up its support for the daycare providers themselves and perhaps to the parents as well to help them pay for the daycare. how about incentivizing

businesses? large businesses like starting in the capitol building itself to the daycare in that building. doesn't that sound good? how about at schools for teachers so they can have their children in the daycare right there at school? let's talk about some of those things. childcare workers are horrendously underpaid. let's step up and help them because it relates to the workforce which means job. >> we need the workers to grow our economy. we are concerned about that. just a couple of things for us to start and talk of certain michael coachman. >> i'm going to be different and say no. the only reason i'm saying no is you don't want the state involved in everything. this this is a local thing. this is where people can come together and watch their own, help people, others come help with their kids. with businesses that's a private entity. they should work out some type of childcare program, not the

state. it's not our responsibility as a state to interject our thoughts and our laws or guides into every aspect of life. we are taken with a stream of the people. that's what capitalism is, to work on different ideals to make a profit. we can come together as individuals and communities and work on different types of things. as far as childcare. it has to be left to the lower level. the state does not need to get involved. again we've got millions of dollars going to teaching kids how to ride a bike. but you going to say need to spend more money into that. but again it goes like to the property tax. we don't have money for property tax. we have to stop the spending. we have to let people, if it dies on its feet let it die. that's what -- what you're doing, say discount we should almost like a socialist country or a a communist country to te care of everyone. no. it's a free enterprise.

let people work it out. we are smart enough to work out whatever issue we have within ourselves. >> okay. next topic. a question that comes from our cosponsor an erp north dakota. with the rising cost of vital prescription drugs that many north dakotans rely on what steps to plan his government to take to ensure older people and the families of affordable access to the sites it sustaining drugs? senator piepkorn. >> there are a lot of issues about this particular bigger issue of the cost of medication for seniors and everybody else. recently the federal government has put caps on the ten popular drugs, some of them are diabetic in some weight loss. one that unfamiliar with his a blood thinner that for surely due to the medical modern medicine i don't have to take those anymore. i'm appreciative of that. so capping the prices of these drugs, and there are several states that also involved in the

own separate programs involving capping the amount of people, the amount of money people can spin on drugs. $2000 is a popular a popular figure in her own legislature just this last session i believe it was gretchen, sponsored the bill the cap the price of insulin. i forget the exact amount that people are paying, but, for example, i go to white insulin? i do know that much about it. because it's been around for years and it's not that expensive to produce and air charging, making a lot of money at it, , which unfortunately kes people away from the drug who need to use pick the accounting their resources in half. there's a lot the state can do. pharmacy benefit managers have a lot to do with the price of prescription drugs, too. let's take a look at them and press we can rein nso.

>> michael coachman. >> as you know in europe and the only mention to produce certain meds it's really cheap. but we're making up the difference. we need to be transparent as far as what is the cost to make that medicine, and as a state you need to stop gouging. that's what it is. its price gouging. we need to step in and say look, you cannot beat up in this 200, 300, 400%. you want to work here, we need to work on on a deal on how o lower the prices. we need somebody to step in. right now, again, the choice of meds, so i stay my house or eat? we need to step in and say look, you need to change or method, your methodology of what you're charging the people here in the state. as governor i will step in and fight for you. >> representative armstrong. >> the overall healthcare part of the portfolio is remember significant portion is federal.

i watched it happen play out over the last six years in dealing with those issues and the cost of healthcare in general is continuing to rise. there are different grade we shouldn't do this. we are a committee of small business and then have private insurance and then go for medicare, medicaid, list of issues. so start you want to look at what the ship this when that happens and make sure you're not pricing people out of that and work about if you can forget creative ways to forceful insurance plans come to different things where you can have a larger risk pool and deal with a lot of those issues as they to talk with your representative senator cramer, senator hoeven do with those issues. medicare part b is a huge problem. there's a fight on the coast about waste, fraud, and abuse. it doesn't occur here but without the program work whenever a huge, huge problem in north dakota so make sure we stay on the present on that ended with that. at the state level we've got to continue to work with weather at stanford, blue cross, whether it's his broken programse know why the rates are going and a lot of that is that a policy

of working careful in making sure we can do everything we can't at the state level which can be a lot, a lot of times the stock could be as much as we would love it to be to offset that federal regular regime. >> let's move on to the recently by a north dakota judge the threat north dakota's abortion ban. many doctors say a woman doesn't even know she's pregnant at six weeks, for example. i know you vomit all sure different views on this and voters want to hear them. so tell me your reactions to the ruling in with this controversial issue goes now from you within the state. michael coachman first. >> i'll tell you right now my feeling is life does begin at the moment of conception, okay? that is what life is right there. i know my opponents will say, just case of rape or incest, it's okay. no. i do not. we were in grand forks a couple weeks ago for the right to life and our guest speaker was a person who was come his mom was

raped in a mental institution and he was a very well gifted speaker. what people don't realize is you could call the health, women's healthcare. it's murder. because if you look at somebody who kills a woman who is pregnant either even if she's a couple weeks or a few much of what is that person charged with? double homicide. double homicide. because it's on life. life begins there at the moment of conception. me, i'm going to support. i know what the judge said banco do everything i can to protect life, not just on that end but on the other end, the elderly. i will do to protect everything because the most precious resource we have as a state is not oil, it's not ag. it's people. i don't want to protect that precious resource. >> kelly armstrong. >> i appeared in front of the judge. i've known all of those different issues.

i think he got a really wrong. i don't think that's the last sane. i think the north dakota supreme court will have an opportunity to weigh in. i was chair of the senate judiciary when a lot of these bills came through and i supported them then through committee and on the floor, past them. hopefully we get it right. i do think there are places in which we have to make sure we create situations where like exception works in an emergency room and not just in hearing room. there are real answer to that, but i've been proud of my pro-life record to the entirety of my legislative career i'm going to continue to stand with the north dakota law as it is. if we're to clean it up, tighten it up with smart people that can do that but i'm hopeful the law will withstand, will be overturned at the supreme court. >> senator cochran. >> junior with the smartest thing to do would be watertight but abortion and a woman's right to choose which is going to do? is to stay out of it. you're in the senate. i'm in the senate.

mr. coachman has his ideas. we're going to sit in the legislature, talk to scientists and experts and legal experts and say at six weeks until it's viable, but it's not viable, the baby is a viable out of the womb until 24 we shouldn't be involved any of that talk. if you think it's murder, mr. coachman, then it's, but that woman and family members, spouse, weber mip, partner, let him deal with their maker then. if that's what it is. we are all born sinners, and there are, you know, there is are all equal or they are not. i understand the significance of murder. i don't describe that. however, let that person deal with their maker is what i feel about it and not let me be the judge. i do want to be in there talking with that doctor and that woman when you talking about the

various things come just unimaginable things that could be going on. i'm not pro-abortion. i don't know anybody who is pro-abortion out promoting it. hey, come on in, let's do this, get pregnant and then get an abortion. i don't know people like that. we all cherish life. representative armstrong loves using the term overreach, federal overreach when it comes to energy and attention. how about this for overreach when a government gets into the healthcare decision the women have an extremely difficult time making difficult conversations? >> thank you for your answers on that. a topic i want to get to is next. do you believe more of the legacy fund should be vested in north dakota projects? if it is can you keep it as a state funding source to be used when our oil and gas production tricep? representative armstrong. >> yeah, i think so. i think the key to the legacy fund is making sure investing in

something that is not competing with existing north dakota business. i like the idea of keeping as much of the principal and are willing to get back to replace a finite resource whenever it's done. i think if you don't show citizens of the state that is working for them, then there's going to be real issues and real things going forward. the first way to get his transparency and make sure you understand and could understand what those monies are being disclose and where this monies are being spent. you have to be careful if you do that. one, you better have worthy projects. you can't overheat the economy. if you invest the billions on a legacy fund money into infrastructure in a community is going to be expensive to do your driveway. my wife is from oslo, norway, and at the world's largest sovereign wealth fund and they are very, very very y transparent. england website in a single day and see exactly where their investments are which is something north dakota should actually strive for. they are also very, very careful

about artificially overheating their own economy with government infusion of dollars. that doesn't mean you can't do like large-scale water projects, fiber as a start on this connectivity, things that every single north dakota benefit from. be transparent, make sure people know where it's been spent and invested, and picture north dakotan are proud of how that is happening. that's a recipe for short-term success and long-term success. >> senator piepkorn. >> repeat the question for me please. >> do you believe more of the legacy fund should invest in north dakota project? >> again, who's going to decide? this is why we do need transparency. what we don't need is people with special access to government, whether it be bending the ear of the governor, whether it be bending the ear of officials at the bank of north dakota. right now start discussions on changing the way our money is managed and how it is invested

and will be extensive conversations about that and people know more about it as they continue. what we don't want is people coming in and looking for a quick buck. wherever there is money available to invest in the project, there are people swarming around kind of on the outskirts often, looking for a way that they can get their hands on it and without really doing anything, without the coalition anything. so oversight. we have to trust our government leaders and officials when it comes to making some of the spending decisions. but again we go back to transparency, how the decisions are being made and, well, whether or not it competes with fargo businesses, north dakota businesses. that's another question. what we certainly can grow. there are going to be opportunities in north dakota we haven't even realize yet. i was just up in grand forks at

the national security corridor where they're going to be launching satellites, building satellites and launching satellites from the grand forks air force base. that's new in north dakota. something there are things we haven't even imagined yet that i believe we will be able to invest here in north dakota. >> michael coachman, quite. >> i might beg to the difference as far as the oil reserve drying up. i do believe it is replaceable. but his foreign as invest into north dakota we need to invest more into small towns. we need to bring life to the small towns of 50, 75, 100 because right now they're being forced out again because of property tax or one means or another. we need to bring these towns into life, bring them up to the modern times so we can start bringing structures, companies into our state to make the small towns viable.

we just got to just do more as far as investing in our state as a government, but it's like maybe like a one-time good deal. and then take on. >> are right. i'd like to ask each of you how you're going to vote on measure number five, the legalization of recreational marijuana. why or why not? we will start with senator piepkorn. >> well, i'm conflicted on this but it did not sign the petition to get on the ballot. i will be voting no. i'm kind of thrown in with the highway patrol on this, one of the branches of law enforcement that i respect most. is it tough maybe pulling over somebody with a headlight out and their smoking a joint and they spend present time? well then, let's take a look at the penalties for possession and using, and differentiate that

from selling, from dealing and transporting large quantities. we can't penalize the occasional or recreational user like that and make them criminals out of that. but i'm just, as governor, the legislature can do amazing things to impede the implementation of an initiated measure. that's another something that's on the ballot. maybe you'll get to it later but as governor, if it passed by the people, i would simply go ahead and endorse it and say let's go for it, an amendment in the most effective and safe way. >> michael coachman. >> again, me too. i'm kind of conflicted on it. maybe i'm not going to say yes or no on it but it's up to the people. that is up to the people on what you want to do. if the people suggest we want it, i supported him if he said no there it is. but it's up to the people on

that. >> representative armstrong. >> i have flip-flopped and my own mind on this issue some at different times. first of our lord summoned to give a lot of credit to people about the measure forward. this is significantly better written than some of the previous measures. if we remember the medical marijuana one, they did come with the purchase, they just forgot to decriminalize the sale. it gets local municipalities and local governments significantly more autonomy. spent ten years as a criminal defense attorney can watch all the sink. i had to give credit to the north dakota legislator wills after left about taking more responsible approach. you don't go to prison for smoking a joint in north dakota anymore. they have decriminalize a lot of these things. i think the measure is written in a great way but but i jui spent the last six years have my time in d.c. where it's omnipresent. you walk outside and you spell l everywhere. it's in front of the 7-11 come all over the place. i have c16 and 14 note so i will tell you when i walk in at about

i will vote no. >> we have time for one more question and this is the arp any need to limit the answers to limit it because we're starting to run out of time. this has to do with senior housing. are the things the state could or should do to help keep people in their homes longer before having to be, going to nursing him for the silly like that? i'd like to start with michael coachman. >> can you repeat the question can. >> was it's about housing for seniors. is the state able to do something to keep seniors in home as much as possible before they have to move to an institution? >> get rid of property tax. that right there, that when you don't have to move to senior living. that's what they're doing is raising it when they can't, with have to move them to assisted health. let them stay in their house. they were there for generations. let them stay in their own house. and property tax complacency in your house. >> representative armstrong. >> it is to deliver long-term care and effectively do all the

things come it is significantly cheaper for the patient, cheaper for the taxpayer and cheaper for the committee the longer people can stay in their own home. there are going to be something if you have to do modification for wheelchair access, some of that is easier in some places than others. you run the stag, deal with that, one of the things with property tax is significant span the homestead property tax. we've had a lot of conversations with aarp and the people who work there and i think there are things we can do to make a lot of those things better. >> senator piepkorn. >> class of things would do positively for senior housing, including freezing or unlimited property tax for seniors at a certain age, maybe having certain residence requirement. and again this is where we sit down and talk. i think were all headed in the same direction. let's get the involved parties

and moving in that direction. how but maybe incentivizing developers and construction industry? in the big major plans like the soybean crushing facilities, for example, one incented is no sales tax on some of the equipment they buy. how about that? let's try that for developers and builders a small homes. and also in in-home care section important. let's a in-home care people. it's quite a sacrifice family members are making, and that would really reduce the strain on seniors and our senior living facilities that are lacking. >> all right. we have reached our time for closing comments and statements. senator piepkorn goes first. one minute. >> let's make it simple. i stand with taxpayers in reducing property tax or at least holding the line on property tax come not a limited in the property tax. i stand with our singes for

these reasons i just mentioned now, prescription drugs, capping the price, try to keep it within reach of singes and providing more affordable housing. i stand with our farmers and ranchers and look for more opportunities for yes, the corporate people are moving in for some of the opportunities but i'm concerned about the beginning in small farms and ranches as well. what can we do to help them? i stand with women and the right to make their own decisions regarding healthcare, and not afraid to use the term abortion. let's stay out of it. and women, you make those decisions. and i stand with small businesses. let's help recruit workers to keep the economy growing here in north dakota. lots of things we talked about today relate exactly to that. ..

>> everybody as the great privilege have time history. a bunch of people who risk capital and a lot of things created opportunity, governor in

my lifetime doesn't have to work on jobs jobs, jobs. workforce and housing at all of those things and because of good will is a and good things promoted to the legislature and more importantly, the people who took a risk to grow crops in north dakota and gas, coal, we have an opportunity to grow in the 21st century at a huge advantage compared to other places across the state of my privilege to run for governmental and to tackle challenges and move forward and figure out how we do to make sure every kid who graduates has the opportunity to build a life and family and career. >> i like to thank our candidates tonight. kelly armstrong and you for your participation in this great.

election day is november 5 and early voting underway, thank you for watching coverage of elections 2024. good night. >> nonpartisan political report with amy walters with the north dakota governor race republican. you c wk you live on at&t's and. ♪♪ >> control congress and modern political history. he spans comprehensive coverage of key state debates. action to the house, senate and governor debate.

c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. one of these other television providers. a front row seat to democracy. >> we wile live coverage of the presidential ticket on his beyond to today. vice president nominee tim walz on the campaign trail green

bay wisconsin. tony evers and gretchen whitmer 5:45 p.m. eastern presidential nominee vice president kamala harris weeks to supporters at a rally in erie pennsylvania. watch 7:30 p.m. live o espn2. you can watch live on our free global video up spandau and c-span.org. next, a debate for alabama second congressional district seat, the republican democratic nominee. the 2023 supreme court decision is which found alabama's the legislature discriminated against black voters real portioning house district following the 2020 census.

one hour and 20 minute debate hosted by the chamber of commerce and w fsa tv in montgomery. >> thank you, good morning. a privilege to be with you all today. caroline dobson and i'm running to represent second congressional district. i grew up in alabama and now live here in montgomery where i practice real state law and served on the commission. i am proud to be raising my girls and south alabama.

make gas and groceries affordable. i'm running so your kids can die in your neighborhood without you worrying about whether they get home say they are not. over the course of this campaign i've been committed to this district to listen to you. too each and every one of you shared your time with me, your story, your will and your peers, i'm running to fight for you and all alabama families. washington d.c. insider.

he owns 1 million of the half-dollar house outside washington d.c. for the past four years crushed the opportunity and made our country less safe.

the responsibility that we need to be as fruitful as possible and leave as we found it for the next generation. i humbly ask for your vote november 5. let me fight for you in washington d.c. thank you. >> thank you to everyone here and staff. i am in mobile, alabama.

i was born here. i was raised here. people in this, i would do public schools kindergarten through law school. i went to the university of alabama law. i follow in my father's

footsteps and walked in to the university will law in 1972. everything years ago. and still hold it to this day. what i learned as we all have obligations. have you take what god has given you the betterment of the community and people responsible

in the first place? to be that is alabama and always has been. that's what led me on the career path i've had. needing government to make sure people have equal opportunity. the numbers to actually care to

improve their conditions in the community. i look forward to discussing throughout the rest of the morning. >> the rules correct. in the middle east it appears to be escalating and yesterday they ran 180 minutes and israel is expected to respond. the fact that in this situation carry our one situation.

only a tool benefit relationship and they prevent harm domestically as well as maintain credibility across the world. in bring the conflict to an end. it did inmoral obligation on

godly principles. we also have geopolitical part in israel. for those in the middle to destroy israel in. they voice recognize that. in 1943 alabama state legislature was the first throughout the country to unanimously approve and israel.

it would be linked to the obama administration and biden administration policy. the fog nuclear deal iran and continually after the october 7 attacks engaged in equivocation when it comes to support for israel. find a war that they are attacking right now on israel. he can't trust to stand with israel and naturally must do. stand with israel, take the top against iran and to america and we have to crackdown throughout our country. it's evident in iran failed to

make a statement supporting israel and ensure we are protecting here and america. what would you consider your biggest and what would you, could you do in congress to combat it? if you do we have an incredible race, portable people but our economy is struggling. it is not hard for alabama families, it's almost impossible. 45% say they struggle but paid weekly. 31% with credit cards. we need to act quickly.

reckless government spending is an $7 billion. that benefits about a handful, people who don't have access. we have got to ensure our young people have access to the tools and knowledge for the 21st century jobs. they are dropping out and the

rate is about 25%. at the same time have a. successful for to do a better job to provide us with choice to make sure they are going to send teachers, washington bureaucrats. >> there's a lot of problems and no solutions. fix it? like the fact that it will born in the state, it's more than is the state there is widely the

shortest life 11 months. we have seen hospital and the rural districts those, we have to keep them and the state of alabama provide a sense of silliness and people need government to stand up his and there is no excuse will we have

to get and people are concerned about and businesses and families that want to visit and the obligation it is issue every district we visit. >> what is your top priority for district to? >> the thing i would do they want is a medicaid expansion will and open up the reimbursement in the state of alabama deduced that is already done to expand medicare. the it would still open, federal.

make the investment across the district bringing jobs here. largest infrastructure projects and the states district. a product that is going to change and create jobs and economic opportunity and it would not have been there it was in washington because he would join the delegation and the funding that project. the infrastructure do it and we need it. the third priority is making sure with everything we can to

keep our community safe and make smart investments programs and reduce the risk of children and they will likely end up and make our favorite and invest in the future of our community. >> i'm not a washington insider. i will work with anyone and everyone. first, we've got to get our economy back, curb inflation, create jobs and get government off our back. good flourish, who got to have people and rural communities live got to have jobs. this administration has been

fleshing american opportunity and american energy is needed regulation and need to know flourish so i will fight to ensure get our economy running again part of the reason we have a strain is our border rises. there is no dispute this has suffered due to the open border policies lives part of the transition team. the fentanyl crisis that impacted nearly every community largely 10 million secure our

border and come up with a meaningful solution. related to that, we have witnessed including that and also treating law enforcement and the second committee the gain access. >> it is a little bit will like this and of course an advocate

for the people of alabama and for congresswoman likelihood of that so whether or not much and incredibly important in this asset. the biden terrorists administration treating our military and the extent of

veterans to ensure supporting him. and all this will district ensuring legal vegetable and claw shaving to serve on the committee so any and all committees for people of this district will. >> and understanding it's not

likely to happen is and it is in the state of alabama and those are billed back better dollars across the country with the. both with come across every aspects and investing and will future. they are coming and in relocating and it across and

regional impacts and something to bring those investments near. something that the state needs to ensure our community of resources and the programs needed by too many people. seven out of the 15 are in this district so we need to be that in five military bases and impact what's going on. >> you guys have already touched on this to address these challenges.

>> we have to go back, we have to. it is critical, no excuse. we have the lowest in any. in alabama, you are expected to just live to your 60s. this coverage were they have insurance and results in people think 15 and 20 years in this position they have an emergency

md need medicaid expansion. for alabama refusing that probably have to support funding provided preventatives because we know the issues in the community that plagued the county and the people who live here across the state. these are conditions that are foreseeable, healthcare conditions like apprehension. diabetes, needing dialysis if you have access to basic analysis and get the treatment because one thing we know in america majority of healthcare dollars and make them up here earlier in life it will be cheaper.

>> my mother spencer entire career supporting a family physical therapist is but just one person in a low community and recovering from surgery we have people like her in the community i will fight for funding for all house bills and rural hospitals and have that designation to ensure our hospitals get the funding and programs they need. we need to be honest and it is

left to the state and i encourage two exhibits that given the closure of the hospital and ventura county and closing cost we cannot expect people rural america and the jobs we need to develop the resources and is not just the silver bullet. we have to recognize it is getting through your job so we need to create more to allow private insurers that they will pay for hospitals.

agriculture is a major way in the district, what would be your priority? >> i know firsthand the struggle looks in the agriculture community are experiencing and how vitally important food security is to the future of our next generation. we stand to lose 100,000 small family farms this year. the reason because of high inflation harder for american family farmers to have any source of economic events. most people don't realize for the average alabama family farm, over 90% liquid. most family farms are fairly raising by as it is and this

administration find it interesting opponent policies are on the committee on his part of an administration regulating, over regulating agriculture on everything will front. the biden administration has been trying to tell farmers what they can do with their water. impacting farmers and the ability of farmers to flourish. directly related to this administration policies going back to american energy fertilizer. a byproduct of nonrenewable resources so i will fight for deregulation and supporting

those who support us. >> identify the problems with no actual solution. we need to do more. we have to be able to identify solutions. like so just list both not an industry completely unfamiliar with. like brooke will alabama. my family comes from part having very little will very long this is an industry rather declining for decades.

we have seen for far too long children like my opponent leave the farm they don't come back. they don't come back. president biden was not the reason to continue family business. we have to make sure our farmers have access to capital. a critical, we have to go to washington. there are too many revisions make sure the industry remain competitive and remain from other countries to make sure they remain as industry. live to make sure we prepare our communities to compete in the future. too many rural communities don't have access to the internet and if you compete, he must have appropriate levels of we have to

make that investment to make sure our farmers in the industry beyond is going into the future. >> how should congress allocate to enhance abilities like cyber warfare and missile-defense to counter potential threats to national security? >> we live in a technologically environment and the manner in which they play out are different. ten or 20 years ago so defense capabilities acknowledge that and incorporate holly prepare.

cyber warfare is a real thing. water systems and others so make the appropriate level investment at every level. we do not investment into what it looks like. >> i'm the proud granddaughter

of to world war i veterans. one of the first 100 women having grown up in alabama. it is we are doing a disservice not providing the technology equipment they need to be competitive. i will fight for funding for artificial intelligence to make sure servicemen are well-equipped as possible to protect our country. in that's only part of the problem. there's a morale issue. last year according to the department of defense on website, the military recruiting targets by 41000.

we have 2000 veterans in district two alone. i was there earlier this week amphetamines will say this administration is more concerned with socially engineering service members and making them combat ready.

the air force, it is vital to ensure our country is secured. air national guard as well so essential. seventy-two hours. when it comes to china the question is not if but when. the vital role in protecting national security and the free

world. there are two ways to support, one is to ensure we are supporting military and keeping a growing and thriving, continued to support programs like the war college here. in order to attain and make sure it's warm ... attracted. without to create jobs in combat inflation. with got to get the economy back on track and instead invest in solutions going to bring about change for this community. when it comes to the national air force base, i know a lot that are stationed here and don't bring their families.

in order to continue to help, we've got to make sure our service members have the highest quality of education for their children that they have the choice providing that and there spouse has good paying jobs right here in the district. the. >> thank you. >> it starts with understanding and how they are incorporated. that starts with being able to sit down and an understanding on them. actually leverage what we can do to further incorporate the positive impacts they can become

more vibrant? >> maxwell is a pillar of this community, we cannot use maxwell government. i will be working with the department on the horizon. and you are thinking of expanding or relocating be the

biggest recruiter for that to bring more instrumental programs and what it looks like. the district and ready. >> would you participate? >> absolutely. >> the fancy. absolutely often left behind because of the communities that left and that make up the majority of this district don't receive the benefits of it.

and direct spending i would be a leading proponent the legitimate public interest and alabama falls far too short. i will be at the front line in every mission and school board member take what they need to come up with the plan of action trying to bring the funding home for the very the constitution.

back grew up in rural america. we have healthcare needs and funding and they went north of this district so even more imperative than whoever represents the district rapidly fighting for funding in a smart way.

allowing no money, and impact. in the healthcare, they desperately need and we cannot ignore the core of mobile and opportunities it holds despite the strike going on right now. and it opens doors and opportunities of this district.

and they are being good words. instead of bringing them home. and make an impact on the families. >> lawmakers from the other side of the aisle to do best for your district to the constituents? for. >> is not a washington insider, just a working all the. i'll work with anyone and everyone about positive solutions. >> i think need more negotiators in washington, people willing to

roll up their sleeves and top to the table. so many issues the border. we should all recognize the importance of a secure border. we have millions of known taxpayers training our resources. we now have fentanyl and all of our communities. eighty to 90% of precursors are made in china if they cannot legally be imported into the united states so they come directly across our southern border, open border policy of the biden-harris administration and my opponent would be a rubberstamp for those policies. 13000 folks accused of murder

and my own here in montgomery data fentanyl overdose. our economy, our military, we don't need more washington insiders engaged in the gridlock we've seen. real people going to washington to bring about real results of the district. everybody is from the state but as i got older,