5/8/2015
Grand Forks lawmakers assess the session | Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks lawmakers assess
the session
By John Hageman on Apr 29, 2015 at 7:24 p.m.
B
ISMARCK—North Dakota lawmakers gathered in a steady
stream of meetings over the past few days to finish up the
last major bills of the session, with budgets funding the state's
Rep. Mark Sanford
higher education system, law enforcement agencies and parks
among them.
The decisions made and agreements reached in the Capitol halls in Bismarck
over the past four months will affect institutions, projects and residents 250
miles away in Grand Forks.
Lawmakers representing the Grand Forks area seemed generally satisfied with
how the latest legislative session played out. A number of local interests got the
attention of legislators, including funding for a new water treatment plant in
Grand Forks, money for the Grand Sky unmanned aircraft systems technology
park and a tuition cap for the state's college students.
"It's been a very good session," said Rep. Mark Sanford, R-Grand Forks.
Others, however, expressed disappointment in other areas. Senate Minority
Leader Mac Schneider, D-Grand Forks, criticized the late-session bill lowering
the state's oil extraction tax, which he and other Democrats said will cost the
state $6 billion in revenue in the next 10 years.
"There are very few of my constituents who favor a 23 percent cut to the
extraction tax," Schneider said, adding that the bill would have a "multihttp://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/3734247grandforkslawmakersassesssession
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generational impact" but was "rammed" through the process in the final days of
the session.
Proponents of the change, one of the most high-profile and contentious of the
session, said it would give the oil industry and the state more certainty in the
future.
Priorities
The city of Grand Forks' No. 1 goal of the legislative session was to secure
funding for a new water treatment plant, and lawmakers indicated their intent
to fund half of the $130 million project in the state Water Commission budget
bill. That bill further says the state would provide $30 million grants in each of
the next two two-year budgeting cycles for the project.
City Administrator Todd Feland said earlier this week that the bill gives the city
some "predictability" while planning the project. City Council member Ken Vein,
who co-chairs the city's Legislative Committee, told the Herald this week he
was "very pleased" with the funding.
Lawmakers also included $1.2 million for a hazardous material training center in
Grand Forks, Feland said.
Economic development
The Legislature included $7.5 million for the Grand Sky UAS project adjacent to
Grand Forks Air Force Base in its Department of Commerce budget.
Major aerospace and defense corporation Northrop Grumman recently signed a
lease to become the first tenant of the Grand Sky park, fueling expectations for
the new industry's future in North Dakota.
Tom Swoyer, president of Grand Sky Development Co., said part of the money
will be used to connect the tech park to the runway and apron system at Grand
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Forks Air Force Base. He said the connection from the runway to the base's alert
pad was lost about 10 years ago.
"We're going to rebuild that connection so that aircraft can taxi from the Grand
Sky park over to the runway and take off and land," Swoyer said. Other funds
will be used to support data center operations, such as upgrading electrical or
water systems.
"We're very grateful that the state saw fit to ... make additional infrastructure
investment in Grand Sky to help it get moving very quickly," Swoyer said. He
said some of the first jobs created by the park will be construction workers to
connect the taxiway.
The Legislature also set aside $2.7 million for Northern Plains UAS test site
operations.
Lawmakers approved a sales tax exemption for data centers, as well as for
materials used to construct a fertilizer or chemical processing facility. Northern
Plains Nitrogen is planning a $2 billion fertilizer plant northwest of Grand Forks.
Education
A number of projects at UND received funding, including $6 million to start
repairing airport aprons for the aerospace program and $760,000 to fix the
aging tile roof at the North Dakota Museum of Art.
Laurel Reuter, the museum's director, said the building was constructed in 1907
and the roof still has its original tile. It's been in need of repairs for some time,
and leaks during rainstorms can be a problem, she said.
"It's a job that will be considerable," Reuter said.
The Legislature also set aside $62 million to finish UND's School of Medicine and
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Health Sciences. The state Industrial Commission budget included more than
$13 million for expanding the Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library on the
UND campus.
Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, said the 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases
in the next two years, along with legislation allowing students and student
organizations the right to an attorney in disciplinary hearings, "should make
students very happy."
Grand Forks Public Schools Superintendent Larry Nybladh said the district will
see some additional funding for English language learner programs. The
Legislature set aside some grant money for the districts with the biggest ELL
needs, which include Grand Forks, he said.
"In light of the challenges of other priorities in the budget and the revenue
forecast, it seems the Legislature tried to prioritize K-12 education," Nybladh
said.
Shortcomings
Rep. Marie Strinden, D-Grand Forks, said she would have liked to have seen the
Legislature do more to ease property taxes.
"My frustration is we have not focused on property tax relief," she said. Strinden
said she would have liked to see a renter's credit become law, and income tax
reductions that did pass would have a minimal effect on renters.
Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple touted property tax relief Tuesday by pointing
to the state's 12 percent buy-down and the state takeover of certain county
social services costs.
Rep. Mark Owens, R-Grand Forks, said he wished more could have been done
for road projects within cities. Grand Forks will receive $960,000 in road
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improvement funds, according to Dalrymple's office.
Grand Forks had sought support for an underpass at 42nd Street and DeMers
Avenue, but that project ultimately didn't receive funding. Feland said the city
will have to build momentum over time to receive support for that project.
While Holmberg said that project was "not in the cards" due to a lack of federal
funds, he said the Legislature met most of Grand Forks' top priorities.
"I think Grand Forks did extremely well," he said.
John Hageman
John Hageman covers local business and Grand Forks' legislative delegation. Get more
business news at aroundtown.areavoices.com. [email protected]
(701) 7801244
Follow @jhageman_
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