Link here to the Bismarck Tribune.
The main driver for the increased revenue is sales and use taxes. “That’s (sales tax) estimated to get to $2.1 billion in the current biennium, which is $713 million more than originally forecast,” Morrissette said.
In July [two months ago] the estimated budget surplus was approximately $850 million, not including an additional $1.1 billion in various state reserve funds in which access is restricted. Something tells me the state legislators can hardly wait for the new legislative session to figure out ways to spend that money.Go to the linked article; it is simply filled with incredible data.
Rumors that Governor Jerry Brown of California has opened a checking account with the Bank of North Dakota are probably just that: rumors. [Speaking of which, the BOND is the only state-owned bank in the nation, established in 1919 in anticipation of the discovery oil in 1951. Part of that last sentence is inaccurate -- the part starting with "in anticipation"].
How about putting seat belts in all the school busses? That's probably not a strategic return investment, it's only our children.
ReplyDeleteIt's already started.
ReplyDeleteIdeas on how to spend the billions.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40820669/ns/us_news-life/t/why-your-childs-school-bus-has-no-seat-belts/#.UFsV8EL3DoA
If cars have seat belts, why aren't they generally required in school buses? Because modern school buses are already remarkably safe, and because seat belts don't work the same way in buses as they do cars, research shows.
Numerous federal and academic studies have concluded that school buses are the safest form of ground transportation of all, in fact. The National Safety Council says they're about 40 times safer than the family car.
Comment: getting drunk drivers off the road would be more effective.
How about reducing the extraction taxes on oil and leave it in the hands of the owners and production companies to spend as they see fit instead of the state taking something that does not belong to them and spending it on what the population centers in the eastern part of the state want?
ReplyDeleteIt could be worse; it could be "owned" by the Federal government.
DeleteHowever: I will file your suggestion under my "Don Quixote" link.