Governor and Area Lawmakers Attempt to Blame Fargo Mayor for Funding Shortfall

/by

Governor Doug Burgum and area lawmakers are attempting to publicly blame Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney for the state’s failure to fully commit requested funding to the FM Diversion. The finger-pointing began after the Legislature had already decided to cut back their support in a conference committee. Yet, communication to lawmakers from Fargo’s Mayor is to […]

Read more

Did State Treasurer Schmidt Earn the Proposed Pay Raise from the Legislature?

/by

In the final days of the legislative session, lawmakers are wrapping up agency budgets. Those budgets contain pay raises for state employees. The compromise reached between the Senate and House weeks ago was to give state employees approximately 2% in the first year of the biennium and 2.5% in the second in addition to other […]

Read more

Heitkamp Contributes to new North Dakota Organization focused on Civic Engagement

/by

Over the last few years, whenever I’ve spoken with people around the state, I’ve caught an earful of ideas about how North Dakota’s center-left can rebuild. Many of those ideas didn’t make it past the bar napkin note they were written on. It is no secret the influence of those who politically align on the […]

Read more

Voters will Need to Prove Legislators Wrong by Rejecting Changes to Constitutional Process

/by

The most blatantly arrogant attempt by lawmakers to place themselves above voters was given support from the ND House. SCR 4001 gives the Legislature a say in final approval of citizen-led constitutional measures. The 63-30 vote shows fifteen Republican Representatives joining the Democratic members in voting against this arrogant power grab. The rest believe they’re […]

Read more

House Leader Against Replacing NDSU Building Deemed “An Embarrassment.” Wants Less for Second Building Posing “Safety Hazard”

/by

The elimination and scaling down of funding for NDSU buildings is the latest example of the ND House’s anger towards the Fargo area. Early last week, I wrote that Fargo faces more than just “funding fatigue” from lawmakers. The week ended with House Majority Leader Chet Pollert offering an amendment to eliminate a new agricultural […]

Read more