Letter to the Editor: We need collaboration, not consolidation

Bemidji’s renewed interest in annexing Northern Township’s properties around Lake Bemidji isn’t about cooperation or community.

That fact (in my opinion) is that it’s about expanding the city’s tax base to support its infrastructure and mounting expenses. With its tax base eroding and growth moving beyond city limits, Bemidji now looks north to solve its problems not as regional stewardship but rather in the pursuit of revenue.

While the mayor expresses sadness and regret for the current animosity between Bemidji and Northern Township, it’s worth remembering how we got here.

When Northern Township initially worked with Bemidji on a cooperative sewer line, the city was fully supportive until it abruptly withdrew from the agreement (due to city policy restrictions).

Left without a par