Print Column: Legislative Pettiness Leads to Marginalization of Burgum’s Conservative Budget
TOM STROMME/Tribune Governor Doug Burgum delivered his budget address before a joint session of the North Dakota legislature on Wednesday in Bismarck. Burgum outliined a proposed fiscal budget for the 2019-20 biennium that included increased funding to such areas as state employees' salaries and education, as well as ideas for Legacy Fund earnings.
MINOT, N.D. — Traditionally in North Dakota the governor’s executive budget, delivered to lawmakers as an address in December, is introduced as actual spending bills at the beginning of the actual legislative session in January.
Last week legislative leaders changed the rules.
While Burgum’s budget proposals will be available to lawmakers, the actual legislation introduced will be drafted by Legislative Council and reflect the priorities of legislative leadership.
I’ll admit to having mixed feelings about this.
