{"id":266972,"date":"2023-01-03T16:29:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-03T22:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=266972"},"modified":"2023-01-05T16:34:28","modified_gmt":"2023-01-05T22:34:28","slug":"burgums-state-of-state-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=266972","title":{"rendered":"Burgum’s State Of State Address"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bismarck(JAN. 3, 2023) \u2013 Gov. Doug Burgum Tuesday delivered his 2023 State of the
State Address, calling for significant infrastructure investment, highlighting opportunities to
diversify and grow the economy in agriculture, energy and other sectors, and emphasizing the
need to address the state\u2019s workforce challenges and provide tax relief to North Dakotans hit by
higher costs for food, fuel and other necessities.
\u201cIn today\u2019s global uncertainty, our energy and food security make us the envy of many,\u201d Burgum
said, addressing a joint session of the 68th Legislative Assembly in the House chamber as
lawmakers began their regular biennial session. \u201cToday the State of our State is one of strength
and infinite opportunity, blessed with our abundant natural resources, inherent freedoms and
industrious, caring people.\u201d
Addressing workforce, advocating tax relief
A shortage of workers statewide continues to be North Dakota\u2019s No. 1 barrier to economic
growth, Burgum said.
As he did during his Dec. 7 budget address, Burgum again proposed attacking the issue from
multiple angles by honoring funding commitments for career academies; supporting child care
affordability and availability to increase workforce participation; incentivizing industries to adopt
automation; investing in workforce development and recruitment programs; and focusing on
community development, including enhancing tourism offerings and doubling down on the
successful Renaissance Zone program.
To make the state a more attractive, affordable place to live and better compete for workers,
Burgum also urged lawmakers to approve a proposed income tax relief plan that would<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>2
eliminate the state individual income tax for three out of five taxpayers and create the lowest
flat-rate individual income tax in the nation.
\u201cInflation and rising interest rates are eating away at family finances. Consumer prices in
November were up over 7% from a year ago,\u201d Burgum said. \u201cLet\u2019s show our working families in
North Dakota that we understand their struggles by expediting this income tax relief legislation
and making it one of the first bills to be signed this session.\u201d
The governor also voiced his support for pending legislation from state Sen. Scott Meyer of
Grand Forks that would exempt active-duty military pay from the state\u2019s individual income tax.
Seeking storm aid, infrastructure investment
Reflecting on the past year, Burgum noted that severe winter storms and record snowfall
impacted much of North Dakota last April and during the last three months of 2022, with
Bismarck receiving a record 51-plus inches of snow, a record for the city in October-December.
The governor thanked state and local snowplow operators and first responders for their work
during the storms. Burgum recognized North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT)
snowplow operator Michelle Fender-Nagle from the Valley City area for her 34 years of service,
and Highway Patrol Trooper Alex Breitbach for his bravery during a Nov. 9 pileup on Interstate
94 near Jamestown where he narrowly escaped a semitrailer crushing his squad car.
Burgum thanked Sen. Terry Wanzek and Rep. Mike Brandenburg for proposing $20 million in
emergency snow removal grants to be awarded to state, local and tribal governments who have
already exceeded their average snow removal budgets, and urged lawmakers to expedite the
funding.
\u201cThe unprecedented start to the winter season has strained resources at every level of
government. This historic weather calls for prompt action,\u201d he said. \u201cAs state leaders, we have an
opportunity to act quickly to relieve pressures in communities across the state.\u201d
The state has made great progress on the NDDOT\u2019S 10-year infrastructure plan, investing $318
million so far this biennium to rebuild aging roads and bridges, Burgum noted.
\u201cWith our proposed 2023-25 state budget\u2019s unprecedented $2.4 billion investment in
infrastructure projects across the state, we can accelerate this progress and can pave the way for
future growth and economic prosperity,\u201d he said.
Farm Freedom proposed
Burgum commended North Dakota farmers for leading the nation in the production of several
crops. However, he noted that North Dakota has fallen far behind neighboring farm states when
it comes to animal agriculture. For example, South Dakota ranks 8th in cattle and calves and 10th
in hogs and pigs, while North Dakota ranks 15th and 24th, respectively. Since peaking in 1934, the
number of dairy cows in North Dakota has dwindled from 701,000 cows to just 15,000 cows, and
the state is now a milk importer.3
Burgum called on lawmakers to increase individual farming freedoms for non-relatives to pool
their resources to start or expand livestock operations by relaxing the state\u2019s anti-corporate
farming law, similar to exemptions that exist for animal agriculture under South Dakota\u2019s law.
\u201cLet\u2019s take the handcuffs off our ranchers and livestock producers. Let\u2019s allow animal agriculture
to flourish in North Dakota once again. We need Farm Freedom legislation, and we need it
now,\u201d Burgum said.
Highlighting CCUS potential
Burgum also highlighted the role that carbon capture, storage and utilization (CCUS) is having in
creating a sustainable path forward for the agriculture and energy industries, including carbon
capture and sequestration that began in July at the Red Trail Energy ethanol plant near
Richardton; a carbon capture component that helped secure the sale of Coal Creek Station near
Underwood; and Denbury Resources using CO2 for enhanced oil recovery in Bowman County.
North Dakota is one of only two states with authority to permit Class VI injection wells for CO2
storage and is better positioned than other states to take advantage of the emerging CCUS
industry, Burgum said.
\u201cToday, we\u2019re on our way toward achieving carbon neutrality as a state by 2030, thanks to our
extraordinary capacity to safely store over 252 billion tons of CO2, or 50 years of the nation\u2019s
CO2 output,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd in the process, we can help secure the future of our state\u2019s two
largest industries, energy and agriculture.\u201d
TR Presidential Library gets major gift
Speaking about the importance of tourism destinations in driving visitors and potential residents
to North Dakota, Burgum announced that Continental Resources Board Chairman Harold Hamm
recently completed a $50 million gift to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation.
A $50 million endowment approved by the 2019 legislature and being held by the state has
been leveraged to drive over $100 million in private investment for the planned Theodore
Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora.
Looking to further expand tourism destinations, Burgum highlighted the executive budget\u2019s
request for over $51 million to improve and expand state parks and recreation sites, including a
new campground at the Pembina Gorge, planning for upgrades at Lake Metigoshe and new
cabins across state parks. The budget also proposes a $50 million Destination Development
Fund to be matched by private or non-state sources to build or expand unique attractions.
FAA grants initial approval related to Vantis
As efforts continue to diversify the state\u2019s economy with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS),
Burgum announced that the Federal Aviation Administration has granted initial temporary
approval to allow private-sector partner uAvionix to fly a drone beyond visual line of sight using
Vantis, a first-of-its-kind, Grand Forks-based air traffic control network for UAS operations.4
\u201cThis is a critical step that validates the state’s investment and years of work to bring drones to
commercial sectors in a safe and economic way,\u201d Burgum said. To build on this momentum, the
executive budget proposes a $30 million investment in Vantis and $7 million for the Grand Sky
UAS business and aviation park in Grand Forks.
Acknowledging changes
Burgum welcomed newly appointed Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller on her first day in office as she co-
presided over the joint session as Senate president.
Miller previously served as CEO of Fargo-based electrical distributor Border States from 2006
until 2020, when she joined the Governor\u2019s Office as chief operating officer. She was appointed
lieutenant governor to succeed former Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford after he resigned effective Jan. 2,
citing a desire to return to the private sector and focus on his family and career. Burgum
thanked both for their dedicated service to the citizens of North Dakota.
He also cited the recently released census estimate that listed North Dakota\u2019s population at a
record high 779,261 residents on July 1, 2022, rebounding from a slight dip in 2021\u2019s estimate.
\u201cOur record population speaks to the abundant opportunities and exceptional quality of life we
enjoy in North Dakota,\u201d Burgum said, noting the 106,000 residents added since 2010 is the
equivalent of adding another Grand Forks and another Minot. North Dakota remains one of the
nation\u2019s fastest-growing states \u2013 up 16 percent since 2010, faster than all but six other states<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bismarck(JAN. 3, 2023) \u2013 Gov. Doug Burgum Tuesday delivered his 2023 State of theState Address, calling for significant infrastructure investment, highlighting opportunities todiversify and grow the economy in agriculture, energy and other sectors, and emphasizing theneed to address the state\u2019s workforce challenges and provide tax relief to North Dakotans hit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":194467,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-266972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-state"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=266972"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":266973,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266972\/revisions\/266973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/194467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=266972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=266972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=266972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}