North Dakota

Grande: Some sobering news for taxpayers

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2023

Grande: Some sobering news for taxpayers

If you’re a taxpayer in North Dakota, if in case you have youngsters and grandchildren who’re taxpayers in North Dakota (or will likely be), please permit me a couple of minutes of your time. I notice that the talk over public pension reform is just not thrilling, however it’s vital that you just perceive the place we’re at at present and, extra importantly, what it means in your pocketbook.

Supporters of public pension plans roll out the identical previous scare ways and misdirection, imagine me, I do know. Again in 2011 I sponsored a invoice to transform the Public Worker Retirement plan from an outlined profit plan to an outlined contribution plan for brand spanking new staff. An identical invoice is earlier than the Legislature this 12 months and it must cross.

In 2011 the plan’s unfunded legal responsibility was $580 million and my invoice failed by one vote. As an alternative, the Legislature selected to “repair” the plan by making further contributions (your tax {dollars}) to pay down the unfunded legal responsibility. The end result? The plan now has a $1.8 billion unfunded legal responsibility. That’s actual cash, and sadly, even that quantity understates the true plan legal responsibility, that’s doubtless $4.5 to $5 billion. And also you, the taxpayer, is on the hook.

In line with the actuarial reviews for the final three years, the “further” contributions supposed to pay down the unfunded legal responsibility had been over $300 million. However, over those self same three years the plan’s unfunded legal responsibility grew by $595 million. That appears dangerous even with Frequent Core math.

The choice to kick the can down the street in 2011 failed, so let’s strive a brand new method. First, some info to counter the fear-mongering.

A pension plan is a promise, a contract. This truth was not too long ago supported by the Supreme Court docket in

Thole v. U.S. Financial institution

. This case concerned a personal pension plan however the Supreme Court docket dominated that pension plans are contracts. What does that imply? It signifies that each state worker at present within the plan will obtain the retirement profit they’re promised. Each penny. In actual fact, and that is essential taxpayer, the state of North Dakota (you) should pay these advantages even when the plan runs out of cash.

Inserting all new staff in a 401(ok)-type plan doesn’t put present staff in danger, it merely means you cease making guarantees you can not afford.

Critics of pension reform say that closing the plan to new hires will value $5 billion. However, as the good Paul Harvey would say, right here is the remainder of the story. The state (you) might want to put an additional $5 billion into the plan over the following 40+ years whether or not or not pension reform is handed. The one distinction is that if we select to kick the can down the street, we are going to make 40 extra years of latest guarantees.

It’s going to value $5 billion over the following 40+ years both approach simply to repay the guarantees we’ve already made. Making new guarantees is foolhardy. The primary rule of holes? Cease digging.

Grande represented the forty first District within the N.D. Legislature from 1996 to 2014. She is CEO of the Roughrider Coverage Middle, an “innovation over regulation” suppose tank, and works with the Heartland Institute as a senior fellow on vitality and environmental issues. She is a spouse, mother, grandma, lover of life and Jesus. Opinions are solely her personal.

This column doesn’t essentially mirror the opinion of The Discussion board’s editorial board nor Discussion board possession.

Grande represented the forty first District within the N.D. Legislature from 1996 to 2014. She is CEO of the Roughrider Coverage Middle, an “innovation over regulation” suppose tank. She is a spouse, mother, grandma, lover of life and Jesus. Opinions are solely her personal.

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North Dakota

South Dakota State soars past North Dakota

Published

6 hours ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

South Dakota State soars past North Dakota

BROOKINGS — The Jackrabbits had their shootin’ boots on Thursday night against North Dakota, blowing past the Fighting Hawks 109-73 before a First Bank & Trust Arena crowd of 3,261 in one of the most impressive offensive performances in recent memory by South Dakota State.

The win marked the second most points they’ve ever scored against a Division I opponent (fans may remember the 139 they dropped on Savannah State in 2018), and their .656 field goal percentage is the fourth-best of the D1 era.

Joe Sayler had 25 points for the Jacks — all of them coming in the first half — while Isaac Lindsey had 13, Oscar Cluff and Kalen Garry 12 and Jaden Jackson 11, as all 11 active players on the roster scored.

But hot shooting and scoring exploits aside, the Jacks needed this win. An 0-2 road trip last week dropped them to 1-2 in league play, and while it’s far too early to really be worrying about the standings, SDSU wanted to end the losing streak before it became an actual streak.

“It was an important win, especially back on our home court,” said Lindsey, who was 5-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. “We knew this week in practice that this was a big game after a tough road trip and the coaches were on us but they stayed super positive with us. That helped us come to work with a good attitude, so we were gonna get back on track at home.”

Both teams started out hot, with SDSU leading 32-28 at the midpoint of a fast-paced first half. But the Hawks started to gradually cool off (or the Jacks played better defense), while SDSU just kept on ripping the nets.

The Jacks connected on 71 percent of their shots from the field before the break, and actually kept pushing that shooting percentage higher in the early stages of the second half before finally cooling off.

“We started off a little slow on the defensive end but we picked it up late in the half and when we play good defense our offense comes along,” said Sayler, who was 10-of-13 from the floor and hit 4-of-7 3-pointers. “We just trust each other to make the right play, shots went in tonight and that’s what we needed on our home floor.”

Matthew Mors had nine points, four rebounds and four assists, Owen Larson had six points, six rebounds and four assists and Damon Wilkinson had eight points and four rebounds.

Amar Kuljuhovic had 14 points to lead the Fighting Hawks (7-13, 1-4), while SDSU held UND’s leading scorer, Treysen Eaglestaff, to 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Mier Panoam had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Hawks shot 47 percent in the first half but a dreadful 21 percent (7-of-32) in the second.

It’s almost become a running gag how Jacks coach Eric Henderson always focuses on and talks about his team’s defense no matter how well they play on offense, but this game figured to put that to the test. One of the most efficient and entertaining offensive performances the Jacks have put together in Henderson’s tenure — would he still credit the defense first in his postgame remarks? Of course he did, and when teased about it, the coach offered no apologies.

“You know me,” Henderson said with a laugh. “Joe’s performance was pretty special. The pace that we played with and how we shared the basketball is as good as we’ve done all year.”

Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.

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North Dakota

North Dakota Forest Service leads group to fight California wildfires

Published

14 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

North Dakota Forest Service leads group to fight California wildfires

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Since the Palisades wildfire began in California on Jan. 7, firefighting crews have been working to contain them.

Many western states have sent equipment and firefighters to help. Now, Hunter Noor of the North Dakota Forest Service is leading a task force of South Dakota firefighters to manage the Eden fires outside of Pasadena.

“It’s just a chunk of ground that starts going up into those high mountains they have there right outside of Pasadena. And we’re just patrolling fire lines, putting out hot spots and just making sure that the lines that are there hold,” said Noor.

Noor and his group plan to be in California for at least another week and a half.

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