Burgum Confirms Legacy Fund May Again Be Used to Prop Up Government

January 23, 2018 T. Arthur Mason North Dakota

Earlier this month, we published an article in which I was critical of the State having a role in funding the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. After mentioning the $791 million the Legislature raided from various funds to make the current budget work, and the $400 – $700 million budget gap being projected for the 2019 Legislative Session, I wrote this:

“Will anyone be surprised to see a move to raid the Legacy Fund in the 2019 session– which, as of today, contains over $4.1 billion?”

Well, Governor Doug Burgum indicated in his State of the State Address in Minot today that this will likely prove to be true. After acknowledging the fact that the State drained $200 million last Legislative Session to assist in balancing the budget, Burgum said:

“We may have to use this again to get us through this period of time where we’re just using it to fund government.”

While expressing this sentiment, Governor Burgum was also clear he was not in favor of using the principal of the Legacy Fund. And while that is encouraging news, the idea that the State would once again raid funds to balance a budget is disheartening. Why? Because the very suggestion seems to indicate that the moral fortitude isn’t in place to cut the size of government like we should.

Whether it’s things like the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, North Dakota Tourism, the entire Department of Commerce, a myriad of other government agencies, horse racing (as mentioned by late State Senator John Andrist), or the sacred cows of K-12 education and Health and Human Services; we need to eliminate some things and make cuts to others.

The State already kicked the can down the road. Doing so again would only continue to prop up a State government that’s larger than it should be.

 

Sources:

  1. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/01/08/nd-legislature-shouldnt-be-funding-the-theodore-roosevelt-presidential-library/
  2. https://theminutemanblog.com/2017/04/29/the-budget-nd-watchdog-network-warns-no-room-for-error/
  3. http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Predicted-funding-gap-of-400-700-million-464505523.html
  4. http://www.nd.gov/treasurer/north-dakota-government-funds/
  5. http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/burgum-north-dakota-s-budget-future-is-not-risk-free/article_01bc9720-3f3a-5a62-a3c4-297a892549a2.html
  6. https://theminutemanblog.com/2017/11/20/the-state-should-not-pay-josh-duhamel-to-promote-north-dakota-tourism/
  7. https://theminutemanblog.com/2017/08/07/save-the-taxpayer-start-eliminating-state-agencies/
  8. http://www.willistonherald.com/opinion/andrist-looking-for-ways-to-waste-money/article_c9ceca2e-de97-11e7-b3af-a341c235c1f7.html
  9. http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/4389541-former-nd-lawmaker-and-newspaper-giant-john-andrist-called-one
  10. https://theminutemanblog.com/2017/04/06/carlson-reiterates-protection-for-the-budgets-sacred-cows/
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About T. Arthur Mason 878 Articles
T. Arthur Mason is a native North Dakotan who has spent nearly all of his life in the Peace Garden State. As the third of four children in Western North Dakota, Mason grew to appreciate family and the outdoors. Some of his fondest memories are annual deer hunts with family and friends. In his early teenage years, faith became a central part of T. Arthur Mason's life. He and the majority of his family attend church together on a weekly basis and find this a fulfilling aspect of their lives. Through the influence of his father, T. Arthur Mason became intrigued with politics. As a boy, he attended political events with his father and enjoyed the friendships that resulted as a byproduct of those political associations. As Mason grew older, he became convinced that the quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson was true, "That government is best which governs least." Today, T. Arthur Mason enjoys time with his wife and children, an occasional hunt, and an increasingly active life on the political scene. This blog is the fulfillment of a dream to design a web site in the realm of politics and to advocate for the principles of Liberty and constitutionally limited government. On behalf of all those that contribute to The Minuteman, we hope you enjoy your time on the site and will share the message with others.

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