MORE LIKE THIS, PLEASE: Meet ‘Captain No’: The City Commissioner Waging War on Corporate Welfare.

Politicians often brag about all the things they’ve accomplished while in office. But often overlooked is an aspect of governance that’s equally important: stopping bad policy proposals and preventing the waste of more taxpayer dollars. Here’s where local politicians like Fargo City Commissioner Tony Gehrig, known as “Captain No,” deserve more spotlight and credit than they typically receive.

A captain in the North Dakota National Guard, Gehrig also uses his perch on the Fargo, North Dakota City Commission to vote against any and all corporate welfare proposals put forward. He has earned a reputation for voting “no” on the tax subsidies and government carve-outs that municipalities often offer businesses to try to lure economic activity to their area.

It’s an idea so crazy, it just might work.