Austin Foss

I have been an active member of the Downtown Neighborhood Association for nearly five years, serving as its chair for the past three. I am an architect with extensive experience in affordable housing, and currently involved in the design and management of K-12 projects. Additionally, I am an entrepreneur, having founded a board game publishing business. Through these varied experiences, I have developed strong skills in collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, managing complex projects, and navigating multifaceted challenges to achieve successful outcomes.

My top three priorities are housing, education, and sustainability.

• I aim to expand the availability of housing for lower-income individuals and first-time homebuyers.

• I’m committed to attracting and retaining more teachers in our state to strengthen our education system.

• Additionally, I want to accelerate the transition of our energy grid to cleaner sources, including natural gas and renewable energy.

The cost and availability of housing will be one of North Dakota’s greatest challenges over the next five years. I want to increase incentives for first-time homebuyers, particularly for existing homes, which are naturally more affordable and often in need of renovation. Additionally, I propose creating a state housing program to support developers in building homes focused on lower-income individuals. I also believe the divisive rhetoric coming out of Bismarck is discouraging people from moving to our state. My goal is to bring a voice of reason, encourage balanced discussions, and create legislation that benefits all North Dakotans.

Yes, I believe we can incentivize developers to create affordable housing, which is crucial to retaining our workforce. In particular, we can make a significant impact on those in the public sector, such as teachers, by offering higher pay, better benefits, and reducing unnecessary government oversight.

I support state funding that promotes innovation and the growth of small businesses in our state. We've seen a surge of successful ventures, especially in ag-tech, and I want to build on that momentum. I also advocate for providing tax credits to small businesses to help them get a strong start and thrive in our economy.

I’ve already addressed the affordable housing issue, but I also believe the legislature has a vital role in making childcare more affordable for North Dakota families. Implementing a tax credit for childcare for young children would provide significant relief for parents. Additionally, offering incentives for businesses to provide paid maternal and paternal leave would be a substantial step toward supporting working families.

Yes, I support large-scale projects because they provide significant benefits to the state as a whole. These initiatives not only improve infrastructure and create jobs, but they also help attract new residents and businesses to North Dakota. By investing in such projects, we enhance the quality of life and make the state a more appealing place to live, work, and raise a family.

I support utilizing the Legacy Fund for strategic projects and initiatives, as this was its original purpose. The fund was established to enable us to pursue important projects that our regular budget cannot typically accommodate, yet are essential for attracting new residents and improving the quality of life for those already living in North Dakota.

I oppose the elimination of property taxes because it would severely reduce local control over essential government functions like infrastructure projects and community services. It would also force us to tap into other funding sources, such as the Legacy Fund, to cover the resulting revenue shortfall. These funds are kept separate for a reason and should remain dedicated to their intended purposes. Additionally, eliminating property taxes would disproportionately benefit those who are already well-off, widening the gap in equity.