Post by Logan on May 13, 2016 7:24:53 GMT -6
Dems again call for ND special session, citing rising drug abuse
BISMARCK - North Dakota Democratic legislators again called for a special session Thursday to deal with state budget cuts, citing recent public forums in Grand Forks and West Fargo addressing drug abuse.
But a spokesman for Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple said his decision against a special session before the Legislature convenes next year still stands.
Citing lower oil and farm commodity prices, Dalrymple ordered a 4.05 percent budget cut in February to help cover a nearly $1.1 billion shortfall. In early April, he rejected a request from Democrats to hold a special session to restore about $50 million to agency budgets.
"We have a plan that will carry us through this year I think just fine, and everyone is telling me that the real decisions to be made are about the ongoing budget going on into 2017-19," Dalrymple said at the time. He later called for 2017-19 biennium general fund budgets at 90 percent of spending levels approved for this two-year period, but said the Department of Human Services and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wouldn't be strictly held to that.
Read more: www.inforum.com/news/4031492-dems-again-call-nd-special-session-citing-rising-drug-abuse
BISMARCK - North Dakota Democratic legislators again called for a special session Thursday to deal with state budget cuts, citing recent public forums in Grand Forks and West Fargo addressing drug abuse.
But a spokesman for Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple said his decision against a special session before the Legislature convenes next year still stands.
Citing lower oil and farm commodity prices, Dalrymple ordered a 4.05 percent budget cut in February to help cover a nearly $1.1 billion shortfall. In early April, he rejected a request from Democrats to hold a special session to restore about $50 million to agency budgets.
"We have a plan that will carry us through this year I think just fine, and everyone is telling me that the real decisions to be made are about the ongoing budget going on into 2017-19," Dalrymple said at the time. He later called for 2017-19 biennium general fund budgets at 90 percent of spending levels approved for this two-year period, but said the Department of Human Services and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wouldn't be strictly held to that.
Read more: www.inforum.com/news/4031492-dems-again-call-nd-special-session-citing-rising-drug-abuse