Over the weekend the Fargo Forum editorial board praised Republican budget fix passed during a special session last week. Taking exception to that editorial is state Senator Tyler Axness (D-Fargo) who argues in a rebuttal letter that Republicans ignored the needy by eschewing a Democratic proposal to spend reserve funds on bringing in matching federal…
Dustin Gawrylow: Special Session Finishes Kicking the Can Down the Road
This week’s special session was intended to be dull and boring with few surprises allowed to happen. Sure, there was the typical Democratic complaints that the cuts went too far. Democrats actually had a point about Republicans foolishly refusing to find a way to shift $29 million back to human services in order to receive…
As Special Session Ends It Is Worth Remembering That North Dakota Still Has Plenty of Revenues
State lawmakers finished up their special session in Bismarck today, passing legislation which cuts spending and moves money around to fill a hole in the budget. The reasons for the hole? During North Dakota’s oil boom years lawmakers grew spending about as fast as revenues grew, which was pretty fast. But now the oil boom…
North Dakota Democrats Wanted to Drain North Dakota’s Reserve Funds to Avoid Spending Cuts
As I noted earlier, there was a lot of grandstanding in the state Senate today as Democrats proposed amendments to the Republican budget fix bill which they knew would be rejected, and then subsequently characterized that rejection as Republicans being insufficiently compassionate about the elderly and infirm, etc., etc. Here, from Bismarck Senator Erin Oban,…
North Dakota Lawmakers Have Got to Fix the Revenue Forecasting Problem
Here’s something a lot of people – even those who follow politics in North Dakota closely – don’t understand about our state’s budgeting process. When lawmakers make a budget they aren’t spending money the state has. It’s not like the appropriations they make are drawn on a gigantic state checking account which runs a balance.…
The Real Drama of the Legislature’s Special Session Starts Tomorrow in the House
For those of you who haven’t been following along, here’s what’s happened in North Dakota’s special legislative session so far: Two bills, one Republican and one from Democrats, to delay the construction of the new governor’s residence failed in the Delayed Bills Committee The Republican bill to fix the budget shortfall – one backed by Governor…
Five Lawmakers, Including Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate, Miss Roll Call Vote at Special Session
The legislature convened for a special session this morning, and five state lawmakers were absent. At least for the attendance votes in the House and Senate chambers. The most notable absence was Rep. Eliot Glassheim who, in addition to representing District 18 in the state House, is currently the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate…
Video: Governor Jack Dalrymple Tells Special Session That “Belt Tightening Is the Order of the Day”
This morning Governor Jack Dalrymple addressed the special session of the legislature he convened to address North Dakota’s budget shortfall. “For now belt tightening is the order of the day,” he told a joint session of the state House and Senate. “I’m confident the people of North Dakota will be supportive of the adjustments you…
Governor Jack Dalrymple Orders Another 2.5 Percent Budget Allotment Worth $152 Million
The special session of the North Dakota legislature called last month by Governor Jack Dalrymple to address budget shortfalls begins tomorrow with an address from Dalrymple itself, but before lawmakers meet the Governor has already ordered a new 2.5 percent across-the-board spending cut for state agencies. This comes on top of the 4.05 percent budget…
As Lawmakers Ready for a Special Session There Are Signs That the Worst Is Over for North Dakota
Starting tomorrow North Dakota lawmakers will be in a special session for most of the week to address a hole blown in the state budget by the decline in oil activity in the state. But as they go about their business, there are some signs that we may be through the worst of it. The…