Make Them Prove It

Late Friday afternoon, a federal judge in Texas ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ruling came the day before the enrollment deadline and after years of chipping away at the law from the Trump administration. What ultimately set this latest lawsuit in motion was the elimination of the individual mandate in the 2017 tax […]

The Stenehjem Double Standard on Open Meeting Violations

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem determined the Cass County Commission violated the state’s open meeting laws when Commissioners attended a meeting at the White House in August. The circumstances of the violation closely resemble a situation Stenehjem found himself in one calendar year earlier. However, the similar situation rendered a different opinion from the Attorney General. Perhaps […]

Rule Changes and Shouting Matches. The tensions between the Governor and Legislature is on Full Display

New leadership but the same tactics were on display during last week’s organizational session. Rule changes and shouting matches rippled through the Capitol as Legislators were given committee assignments and heard Governor Burgum’s budget proposal. Perhaps it was a window into what we can expect in the 66th session. It seems the fight between the […]

NOW HIRING: Burgum Seeks Social Life Coordinator

Doug Burgum pledged to “reinvent state government” and make the “tough calls” to balance the budget when he ran for Governor. As Governor, he was quick to call for deep budget cuts to state agencies. Those cuts led to layoffs, buyouts, and salary freezes for many state employees. With that record as the backdrop, it […]

“Oil Prices Getting Lower. Great!”

It is no secret, North Dakota has become more reliant on energy activity over the last decade. The state budget relies heavily on oil revenues. The problem this reliance poses is the volatile swings in oil prices. It leads to budgeting uncertainty. The higher the price, the more activity, the more revenue the state accrues. […]