North Dakota
North Dakota lawmakers reshape how Legacy Fund will be used
BISMARCK — A number of payments just lately handed by the North Dakota Legislature will create a brand new authorized blueprint for spending, investing and conserving the state’s $8.8 billion oil tax financial savings account.
Republican leaders mentioned the brand new plans for the Legacy Fund will bankroll quality-of-life enhancements and tax aid for residents whereas sustaining stable stewardship of the voter-approved fund.
However a number of lawmakers from throughout the political spectrum voiced issues concerning the quantity of Legacy Fund earnings used to supply abnormal authorities packages.
The overwhelming majority of the Legacy Fund’s principal originates from oil and gasoline tax income collected since 2011. Investments made by state officers and out of doors corporations generate earnings used for a wide range of functions.
The Home of Representatives and the Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve
Home Invoice 1379,
which revises a
complicated regulation
handed in 2021 that laid out designs for spending Legacy Fund funding earnings. Gov. Doug Burgum has not but acted on the invoice.
The laws sponsored by Home Majority Chief Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, establishes a number of streams that direct the place Legacy Fund earnings go:
- The primary $102.6 million in earnings can be put towards repaying buyers for
infrastructure bonds.
- The following $225 million would go towards tax aid supplied by way of
an enormous bundle of tax cuts
authorised final month.
- The following $100 million would go to freeway and street funding.
- Any earnings left over can be cut up evenly between the state’s principal working fund (Common Fund) and a reserve fund continuously utilized by lawmakers to backfill the state price range (Strategic Funding and Enhancements Fund).
Senate Majority Chief David Hogue, R-Minot, informed colleagues final week the invoice is “a superb piece of stewardship” that places cash from the Legacy Fund into buckets that “usually profit your complete state of North Dakota.”
Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, mentioned the invoice doesn’t clearly convey to residents how the Legacy Fund is being spent on game-changing initiatives or grown by way of reinvestment.
“After we are speaking to voters and our constituents about what we’re utilizing their Legacy Fund cash in direction of, this invoice for me doesn’t present lots of readability, and I don’t assume it offers lots of readability for these people both,” Cleary mentioned.
A lot of the payments handed this session would use the Legacy Fund for ongoing state bills moderately than “big-picture, legacy-type initiatives,” Cleary mentioned. He sees that as a missed alternative.
A want to tweak an in-state funding program
compelled Assistant Senate Majority Chief Jerry Klein,
R-Fessenden, to convey ahead
Senate Invoice 2330.
Widespread laws
handed in 2021 arrange an goal for the State Funding Board to take a position as much as 20% of the Legacy Fund in North Dakota corporations and native infrastructure.
Klein’s invoice, which Burgum signed into regulation final week, resets this system’s parameters by stating the in-state funding objectives as arduous numbers moderately than percentages. That approach the funding targets don’t hold rising because the fund grows in worth.
The brand new regulation creates an goal to take a position as much as $600 million of the Legacy Fund in shares and different fairness with ties to the state.
One other $400 million is earmarked for low-interest loans to native companies by way of the Financial institution of North Dakota. As much as $150 million from the Legacy Fund may very well be used for infrastructure loans to cities and counties.
Proponents say the revisions to this system will make it simpler to implement whereas producing higher returns.
Klein’s invoice additionally established an algorithm to put aside 7% of the five-year common steadiness of the Legacy Fund as a baseline for spending earnings throughout every two-year price range cycle.
However on the ultimate day of the four-month session, an
all-Republican panel
of legislative leaders made an modification to the algorithm to permit 8% of five-year common worth of the fund to be spent. The transfer, which appeared within the
Workplace of Administration and Price range’s funding invoice,
freed up an additional $70 million from the Legacy Fund for fast budgeting functions.
When the modification got here earlier than every chamber, Rep. Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, and Sen. Doug Larsen, R-Mandan, questioned why such an necessary coverage determination was rising within the waning hours of the session.
Sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, mentioned GOP leaders determined utilizing extra Legacy Fund earnings within the 2023-2025 state price range was a “affordable strategy to convey some steadiness into the appropriation course of for mandatory funds to proceed the obligations of the state.”
Mock famous taking extra money out of the Legacy Fund for on a regular basis budgeting can have a unfavourable compounding impact since these {dollars} can’t be reinvested. Assistant Home Majority Chief Glenn Bosch, R-Bismarck, mentioned the convention committee that made the change didn’t do any type of fiscal evaluation of the transfer to eight%, however he acknowledged it could “have an effect” on the Legacy Fund.
“These are heavy conversations — vital coverage conversations — and this physique is having to make this alternative on the seventy fifth day (of the session) with none of this stuff coming ahead,” Mock mentioned. “I’m sorry, however that is an irresponsible convention committee report that has penalties far past what any of us are ready to reply to.”
Each chambers authorised the OMB price range, together with the 8% modification, within the early morning hours of Sunday, April 30. Burgum has not but acted on the invoice.
The 2023-2025 price range depends on about $556 million in Legacy Fund earnings, in accordance with state Treasurer Thomas Beadle.
Which means all the “streams” in Home Invoice 1379 will obtain full funding, and the Common Fund and the Strategic Funding and Enhancements Fund will every get about $64 million from the Legacy Fund.
The Legislature additionally handed Mock’s
Home Concurrent Decision 3033,
which locations a measure on the poll in 2024.
Below the state structure, lawmakers might use as much as 15% of the Legacy Fund’s principal every price range cycle. If voters approve the measure subsequent yr, it could limit the Legislature to utilizing not more than 5% of the fund’s principal every biennium.
Lawmakers have solely spent funding earnings from the Legacy Fund and have by no means touched the fund’s principal. Proponents of the measure say it could permit extra of the fund to be invested moderately than sitting in reserves for budgeting functions.
North Dakota
My Heartfelt Christmas Wish To You North Dakota
My Heartfelt Christmas Wish To You North Dakota.
Not a “catchy-clicky” title and I doubt many of my listeners or readers will probably even read this article.
However, I wanted to share something with you that is on my heart. This is so not me, as I’m more the guy who writes about “North Dakota’s 10 most quirky this and that”.
It’s not that I’m not a sensitive guy, because when I was growing up, I was probably too sensitive. I would avoid sad movies, songs, or anything that would spark too much of an emotion.
Yes, you could say my heart has become a bit jaded and cold over the years. It’s not something I’m proud of but more of a defense mechanism.
2024 has probably been one of the most challenging years for my family.
From losing loved ones to family issues to health issues to very challenging financial times, it’s been one of those years where you just can’t catch a break. I’m sure many of you can relate.
As we were attending a Christmas Eve candlelight service last night a young child caught my eye.
She was a cute little toddler who was starting to act up. Something I remember oh so well at church with my little now 20-year-old son.
As her father took her outside the sanctuary to attend to her, I couldn’t help but notice this child’s extremely unfair situation. She had a disability at a year or so old, that none of us could ever imagine. It broke my heart.
This poor child and her family no doubt have a long road ahead of them. As we lit our candles later in the service, I caught the wonder in her eyes, and it couldn’t help but melt my cold heart at the time.
She was perfect and I found myself saying a prayer for this little blonde girl with curly locks and her family.
Her situation also reminded me that I should be thankful for what I have and not what I don’t this Christmas. This is my Christmas wish for you North Dakota, that you will realize the same thing.
Be thankful for who you have around the tree today, not what’s under it.
Merry Christmas to all my listeners and readers. I hope at least a few of you get to read this and it will touch you the same way this little girl touched me on Christmas Eve.
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North Dakota
Could a Bismarck woman become North Dakota's 1st saint?
BISMARCK — Christmas Day marks the ninth anniversary of 31-year-old Michelle Duppong’s death. While her family and friends will feel her absence on this day, they also feel the love, kindness and faith she demonstrated during her short life, along with abundant hope that she not only shared while alive but continues to share in death, which is one of the reasons she is slated to become the first person from North Dakota to become a Catholic saint.
In June 2022, Bismarck Bishop David D. Kagan announced the opening of a diocesan investigation into Duppong’s “holiness of life and love for God,” officially starting the long and arduous process of canonization to a saint. On Nov. 1, 2022, Kagan deemed Duppong a servant of god.
Duppong is on track to be the first North Dakotan and one of few around the world to be canonized, said Father Tom Grafsgaard, of Hazen, North Dakota. According to Catholic publications, only 11 people from the U.S. have become canonized saints.
“It’s never happened in the history of North Dakota in either (the Bismarck or Fargo) Diocese,” Grafsgaard said. “It’s quite exceedingly rare for this to be happening.”
In the process of canonization, the Catholic Church declares people “saints.” There are three paths to sainthood: to have died as a martyr for Catholicism; if one lived an expression of love and died a rather quick and unexpected death; or if they gave a heroic example of living all the Christian virtues.
The process of canonization is governed by a strict canonical or juridical procedure established by St. John Paul II in 1983.
After Kagan began the process, Duppong’s cause entered the diocesan phase of investigation into her life. The Michelle Duppong Guild was created — a group tasked with promoting an awareness of her life. Officials are poring over Duppong’s writings, work, demonstrations of faith and the great number of lives she touched while alive, which are illustrated through interviews with those who knew her, Grafsgaard said.
Her case will be built up and eventually sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints in Rome for the Roman Phase of canonization. A Vatican panel will also investigate and determine if Duppong lived a heroically virtuous life. The Dicastery can then issue a “decree of heroic virtue” in which Duppong would be given the new title of “Venerable Servant of God.”
The third step, beatification, then begins. During this phase, it must be proven that one miracle has been granted by God through Duppong’s intercession. If the Pope declares a true miracle occurred, then Duppong would be declared “Blessed.” Last, a ceremony of canonization would take place where the church declares her a Saint in heaven with God.
“The process is very long,” Grafsgaard said. “I often say, ‘It takes as long as it takes.’ ”
Michelle Christine Duppong was born Jan. 25, 1984, the fourth of six children to parents Ken and Mary Ann Duppong. She grew up on the family farm in Haymarsh, North Dakota, where her parents said she loved to help with chores, including caring for sheep but especially gardening, mowing, pruning, weeding, harvesting and canning, according to her mother.
Duppong was named valedictorian and president of her senior class and later attended North Dakota State University, where she earned a degree in horticulture.
After earning her degree, she became a FOCUS missionary at four college campuses, including the inaugural year at the University of Mary, mentoring college students to draw them deeper into the faith. FOCUS is an apostolate dedicated to evangelizing college and university students.
In 2012, she became the director of faith formation for the Bismarck Diocese, where she led parish missions, launched a podcast and spearheaded a three-day Eucharistic conference that drew thousands to the Bismarck Civic Center in 2013.
In the fall of 2014, Duppong was experiencing sharp abdominal pains that doctors initially thought were ovarian cysts, a common but painful issue for women that will sometimes dissolve and go away without major medical treatment. But by December, the pain was unrelenting, and an outpatient surgery was scheduled that month to remove the cysts.
According to Mary Ann Duppong, surgeons were “shocked to find” Michelle Duppong’s abdomen was “full of stage four cancer.”
Doctors expected the young woman to die within months, and hospice care was recommended.
“Michelle was not one to blame anyone for anything,” Mary Ann Duppong said. “Her attitude was, ‘If God wants me to go through this, I will go through this.’ “
Despite the diagnosis, Michelle Duppong continued her life for nearly a full year.
According to the website that outlines the canonization process for Michelle Duppong and its status, she told one of the sisters providing hospice care that she believed she would pass on Christmas Day. Michelle Duppong died at 11:23 p.m. on Dec. 25, 2015.
Shortly after Bishop Kagan initiated the process for Michelle Duppong’s canonization, U.S. bishops affirmed their support for the cause’s advancement.
In this first stage, the primary focus is to raise awareness of Michelle Duppong and the push for her sainthood by spreading as much information about her and her life as possible, which is done through the creation of a guild and much of which can be found at
www.michelleduppongcause.org.
In January, a FOCUS-produced documentary titled “Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story,” was screened at a FOCUS convention in St. Louis. Afterward, Michelle Duppong’s parents were inundated for hours with comments about how much the movie and Michelle had influenced viewers.
While one cannot necessarily predict when or if Michelle Duppong will become a saint, Grafsgaard said a bishop must believe canonization is likely to begin the process.
“For a bishop to initiate a cause, there should be a well-founded hope for its success,” he said. “There certainly was reputation in her life, and she continues to have it in her death.”
North Dakota
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