Living in Tioga, Williams County Commissioner Barry Ramberg is familiar with how bad his countyâs roads are. He said the old, unpaved roads make vehicles shake terribly and kick up so much dust itâs becoming a serious health concern. Ramberg said like other infrastructure needs, dust control is a project the county canât afford.
âThe county is where this oil money is created and then it winds up in the Legacy Fund, and itâs just sitting there,â Ramberg said. âIâm not for spending money just because we have money to spend, but I believe that the oil extraction and oil production taxes should offset oil impacts. We have lots of impact around here that hasnât been fixed, and we could use more funding.â
(Bismarck, ND) A big day for the future of North Dakota s infrastructure Wenesday.
Governor Burgum officially signed House Bill 1431, praising the $680 million bonding package as an economically sound tool to support infrastructure upgrades across North Dakota including flood control, roads, bridges, water projects and an agricultural facility – all with using Legacy Fund earnings and without raising taxes.
Joining Burgum for the signing were Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford, the bill’s four sponsors – House Majority Leaders Chet Pollert, Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, Representative Jim Schmidt and Senator Ron Sorvaag – House Minority Leader Josh Boschee, Senate Minority Leader Joan Heckaman and Assistant Senate Minority Leader Erin Oban, fellow legislators and local government officials.
Counties still hope to see infrastructure needs met
Alexandra Kautzman
BISMARCK – Living in Tioga, Williams County Commissioner Barry Ramberg is familiar with how bad his county’s roads are. He said the old, unpaved roads make vehicles shake terribly and kick up so much dust it’s becoming a serious health concern. Ramberg said like other infrastructure needs, dust control is a project the county can’t afford.
“The county is where this oil money is created and then it winds up in the Legacy Fund and it’s just sitting there,” Ramberg said. “I’m not for spending money just because we have money to spend but I believe that the oil extraction and oil production taxes should offset oil impacts. We have lots of impact around here that hasn’t been fixed and we could use more funding.”
ND wrestles with level of bonding to fund infrastructure projects
According to a study conducted by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, it would cost more than $9 billion over the next 20 years to address all of the infrastructure problems facing North Dakota.
Written By:
Brayden Zenker / N.D. Newspaper Association Education Foundation | 6:00 am, Jan. 25, 2021 ×
The North Dakota State Capitol. Forum News Service file photo
BISMARCK Fixing those roads and bridges isn’t getting any cheaper, and local officials across North Dakota are looking for help from state government which is facing its own budget crunch.
“In 2014, $333 million was the total estimate for road and bridge investment need in just Grand Forks County,” county engineer Nick West said. “There is just no way under our normal budgeting revenue mechanisms that we can replace that in a timely fashion. We’re always playing catch up.”