658: 'The next logical step was to take it to the voters in an initiated measure' (Audio)

Nov 26, 2025

Robin Nelson, a Fargo School Board member and chair of the Together for School Meals committee, leads a passionate initiative for universal school meals in North Dakota. She explains the need to shift from legislative attempts to a voter initiative due to strong public support. Discussing the estimated cost of $140 million, she emphasizes the program's potential benefit of saving families around $1,000 per child. Nelson clarifies that private and tribal schools can also participate, aiming to reduce lunch fees and debt for districts while addressing equity concerns.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Why The Measure Went To Voters

Robin Nelson says the ballot measure followed two legislative sessions of attempted fixes before going to voters.
She placed the program in the Constitution because public education is explicitly mentioned there.

ANECDOTE

How Nelson Joined The Campaign

Robin Nelson joined a small advocacy group in 2023 after they began pushing for free meals and no lunch debt.
The group worked through legislative sessions before choosing the ballot path.

INSIGHT

Projected Cost And Fiscal Note

The Department of Public Instruction estimated the program would cost roughly $140 million per biennium.
Nelson accepts that estimate but notes a fiscal note will be created during the ballot process.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Robin Nelson, a member of the Fargo School Board who is chairing a ballot measure committee aimed at universal school lunches, says her group tried to get their goal accomplished through the legislative process. It didn't work, so now they're taking their case to the voters.

"We went through two legislative sessions, and we're thankful. There was some movement, but that is not what our goal was," she said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to expansions to the lunch program made by lawmakers. "We respectfully followed that process, and due to the overwhelming support through polls in the state of North Dakota that support this concept of universal school meals, the next logical step was to take it to the voters in an initiated measure."

Nelson took questions on how the measure will work, including how it will cover school lunches served through the existing program in private and tribal schools, as well as what it will cost.

When a bill similar to what Nelson and her group are looking to put on the ballot was considered by lawmakers earlier this year, the Department of Public Instruction estimated the cost at $140 million. "I think it's a fair estimate" of what this new measure would cost if implemented, Nelson said, though she also pointed out that a new fiscal note will be created through the ballot measure process.

If the measure passes, it would shift the cost of paying for the school lunch program away from just parents, who foot the bill through user fees, and to the broader tax base. Nelson said it will also cut out some red tape at the schools which must currently levy and collect lunch fees. "We won't have to worry about collection efforts," she said. "It will save a lot of time on the back end.

Also on this episode, my co-host Chad Oban and I discuss Sen. Kevin Cramer's tough trip to Halifax, and we respond to some reader messages.

If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive