The organized campaign to pass a permanent oil tax trust fund into the state's constitution could meet some big organized opposition this fall.

North Dakota's 86,000-member strong AARP branch has been reaching out to other groups across the state to form a coalition against that measure.

The coalition also is being organized to combat two other potential ballot measures that are in the petition stage: a statute change that would cut personal income taxes by 50 percent and a constitutional change that would restrict government spending growth to the inflation rate.

Linda Wurtz of the AARP said her group's opposition to the measures is rooted in the organization's nationwide policy to oppose setting tax policy in a state's constitution. A similar measure in Colorado has had negative consequences on that state, she said.

"You can't predict now what kind of situation your legislators will face in two years or 10 years," Wurtz said.

The goal is to have a coalition in place by mid-June, though Wurtz declined to name other groups that her organization has been reaching out to.

Placed on the ballot by the 2007 Legislature, the Permanent Oil Tax Trust Fund is designed to constitutionally set aside windfall oil tax profits for future use. The state could use the interest from that account, but could only tap 20 percent of the principal with a three-fourths approval from the Legislature.

It is being backed by a group called the Permanent Promise Coalition, which is raising funds, supporting a Web site (www.measure1nd.com), and pitching the idea at events like the state party conventions.

Ron Ness, a Promise Coalition board member who also serves as president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, said he was surprised to hear of the potential opposition.

"I would hope they'd jump on board and become part of the legacy," Ness said.

He said the potential of organized opposition doesn't change his coalition's game plan in promoting the measure.

Wurtz said her group's game plan would depend on many yet-to-be-determined factors, including which measures make it on the ballot, which groups join the coalition and how much funding the North Dakota chapter gets to fight it.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 223-8483 or jonathan.rivoli@;bismarcktribune.com.)