FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 5^th, 2008                                  

 Contact: Dustin Gawrylow, (701) 223-9887

Sponsoring Committee, AFP-ND Object to Secretary of State’s Alterations to Ballot Language
Group says the Original Approved Ballot Title Serves as Intent of Measure.

Bismarck, N.D. – Today, members of the Measure #2 Sponsoring Committee and Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota announce their objection to changes made to the Official Ballot Language for Measure #2 by Secretary of State Al Jaeger. 

"We disagree with the new ballot language, and believe the ballot language that was approved by the Attorney General on July 17^th, 2007 (attached) should stand.  The original version as approved by the Attorney General is the basis on which people’s decision to sign or not to sign was made," Dustin Gawrylow, state policy director at Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota said.  "The original ballot title as written by the Attorney General was the intent of the sponsoring committee, it was the intent of the petition signers, and should be what the voters see on the November ballot."

The ND Tax Department indicates that the typographical errors would only impact 325 tax filers (out of 338,000 tax filers, less than one-one thousandth of a percent (0.001%) of the total) until fixed by the legislature.

"The intent and effect of the measure remains the same - to save North Dakota families their own tax dollars, amounting to $420 million in tax savings, and $500 for an average family of 4 each year," Gawrylow continued.  "The typographical errors discovered by the opponents of the measure nine months after its approval by the North Dakota Secretary of State and the Attorney General are just that - typographical errors and should not keep the public from fully understanding the correct nature of the measure and its meaning to North Dakota taxpayers."

Members of the sponsoring committee have contacted legislators, and have been assured that bill(s) to correct the typographical errors in the “full text of the measure” will be submitted if the measure passes.  The sponsoring committee is confident that if Measure #2 is passed, the legislature would ensure that the full intent of the people is enacted properly.

"Again, we believe the original ballot title as written by the Attorney General on July 17^th, 2007 accurately portrays the intent of the sponsoring committee, the petition signers, and of the initiated measure itself.  Voters should not be deterred from voting themselves a tax cut by confusing commentary added to the ballot language more than a year after the ballot language was previously approved," Gawrylow concluded.