North Dakota

Grande: Some sobering news for taxpayers

Published

1 year 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.

Source link

Click to comment

North Dakota

Bankruptcies for North Dakota and western Minnesota published May 25, 2024

Published

6 hours ago

May 25, 2024

Press Room

Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court

North Dakota

Nathonia Young, formerly known as Nathonia Ruud, and Kasey Young, Grand Forks, Chapter 7

Leon Adam Simon, doing business as HP Coatings & Fabrications, 1601 1/2 S. 12th St., Chapter 13

Roberta Ann Hoff, also known as Bobbie Hoff, Bismarck, Chapter 7

Chad D. Hove, Jamestown, Chapter 11

Precisionomics, Jamestown, Chapter 11

Minnesota

Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.

Jason Conrad Jern, Alexandria, Chapter 13

Larry G. Heitkamp, doing business as Yellow Rose Transportation, Sebeka, Chapter 13

Jessica R. Mancilla, formerly konwn as Jessica R. Sibert, Moorhead, Chapter 7

Tara Rae Starry, New York Mills, Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.

Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.

Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.

Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

Source link

North Dakota

Shaw: A June voters guide for North Dakotans

Published

13 hours ago

May 25, 2024

Press Room

Shaw: A June voters guide for North Dakotans

There are several Republican primary races where the battles are between normal traditional conservative Republicans and extremists. The most high-profile race is in District 8 in Bismarck. Traditional Republicans Mike Berg and Ken Rensch are taking on extremist Reps. Brandon “George Santos” Prichard and SueAnn Olson.

With his constant blasts of the LGBTQ community and non-Christians, Prichard is a hate-monger and book-banning supporter. Prichard also has fibbed about attending the University of Minnesota Law School. Bismarck and the state of North Dakota would be much better off if Berg and Rensch are nominated.

Twelve-year incumbent Kirsten Baesler is the clear choice to be re-elected as superintendent of public instruction. Baesler has done an excellent job under difficult circumstances. Baesler also has strong public school experience as a former assistant principal in Bismarck and president of the Mandan School Board.

Candidate Jim Bartlett was executive director of the North Dakota Homeschool Association. Nothing wrong with that,

but homeschooling advocates should not be in charge of our public schools

. Also, it’s alarming to see Bartlett’s push to bring more Christianity into the public schools. That would be unconstitutional. Bartlett’s agenda would be a better fit for the state’s private religious schools.

Candidate Darko Draganic has potential, while candidate Jason Heitkamp is not qualified.

The only legitimate Democratic Party candidate for Congress is Trygve Hammer. He has a passion for improving people’s lives and an impressive military record.

With one exception (Kristin Nelson), the endorsements for the Fargo School Board by the Fargo Education Association are preposterous. The other three FEA-endorsed candidates don’t belong on the board.

Allie Ollenburger (who led the botched recall effort in 2021)

and Paul Mohror are chaos candidates.

Likely influenced by contentious contract talks, the FEA seems to be primarily motivated by animosity toward the current board and the school district administration. The FEA’s selections are certainly not in the best interests of the school district or the citizens of Fargo. Fortunately, there are five strong candidates running for four open positions on the board. They are Nelson, Seth Holden, John Campbell, Ryan Dodd and Nikkie Gullickson.

Citizens of West Fargo would be well-served by electing Amy Zundel, who just won a YWCA Woman of the Year award, to the city commission. I don’t know if Zundel is a Republican or Democrat, and I don’t care. What I do know is Zundel is smart, determined and friendly.

It’s because of Zundel’s hard work and research that North Dakota’s weak child abuse laws were toughened. As a private citizen, Zundel put in countless hours to protect the state’s children. With that kind of tenacity, she would be a perfect fit for the West Fargo City Commission.

InForum columnist Jim Shaw is a former WDAY TV reporter and former KVRR TV news director.

Source link

North Dakota

Many Memorial Day weekend crashes happen in rural areas

Published

20 hours ago

May 25, 2024

Press Room

Many Memorial Day weekend crashes happen in rural areas

FARGO — Lots of people will be traveling this Memorial Day weekend, espcially on rural roadways.

Elin Nozewski with Jerry Car Insurance says rural areas typically have less street lights and longer roads. As people are celebrating Memorial Day weekend, she says fatal crashes become a little more common.

“About a third of those accidents are caused by people who are driving over the posted speed limit. And the second-highest risk factor is inebriated driving,” said Nozewski.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, for every 100,000 vehicles, 1.7 fatal crashes occur over memorial weekend.

“It’s a very busy travel weekend. There’s a lot of people in a hurry to get where they want to go. Biggest thing is just to make sure that we plan for that travel and we get there safely,” said Sergeant Adam Malafa with the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

His best tip is to keep distractions to a minimum.

“If you’re the driver, your job is to drive. Not to be, you know, engaged in, you know, whether it’s other conversations or whatever else might be going on in that vehicle,” Malafa said.

When you’re sharing the roads, Malafa says to be mindful of others that aren’t used to the area.

“If they make a lane change that you didn’t expect them to, it’s probably not because they’re trying to be mean it’s probably just because they might not know the road,” Malafa said.

With the updated “Move Over” law, he says to remember all cars must move into the next lane or slow down, if they see a car on the shoulder with hazard lights on.

“Especially with the construction, we’ve got going on just be patient,” Malafa said.

In North Dakota, if you violate the “move over” law, its a $20 fine.

If you commit a traffic violation when distracted while driving, its a $100 fine.

If you violate the seatbelt law, its a $25 fine with 1 point against your license.

According to Jerry Car Insurance, the most dangerous times to drive nationwide during the Memorial Day weekend are 11 p.m. on Saturday to 1 a.m. on Sunday. The risk rises again later on Sunday night from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

My name is Anne Sara, better known as Sara.
I was born an only child in Port-au-prince, Haiti and moved to the U.S at the age of 2.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is where I was raised.
After graduating with my bachelor degree at Albright College, I moved to Florida to continue my studies.
WDAY is the reason why I moved to North Dakota.

Source link