Grand Forks Herald Q&A: A look at District 43 before the start of the North Dakota Legislature

Dec. 31—Two newcomers and an incumbent will represent District 43 in the upcoming session of the North Dakota Legislature.

The delegation this session will include Sen. Jeff Barta, Rep. Zachary Ista and Rep. Eric Murphy. Barta and Murphy are Republicans and both won election in the recent November election, while Ista is an incumbent and member of the Democratic Party.

District 43 includes the area in Grand Forks from DeMers Avenue on the north to 32nd Avenue on the south, and from I-29 on the west to roughly 20th Street on the east. Its southeast portion also includes a thumb of area roughly from 24th Avenue on the north to 40th Avenue on the south and Columbia Road on the west to Washington Street on the east.

In advance of the start of the upcoming session — which opens on Jan. 3 in Bismarck — the Herald sent a questionnaire to all local lawmakers, asking their thoughts on a number of issues that might face lawmakers in the coming months.

Following are their verbatim answers:

Party affiliation: Republican

Years of service in Legislature: First year.

Herald: Do you have any particular bills you'll present or sponsor in the upcoming session? If so, please give details.

Barta: I am still evaluating what bills I may personally introduce and I have had some conversations with others within our caucus about signing as a co-sponsor to their bills. These include bills that address tax relief, bolster education and address issues with funding of the NDPERS retirement program.

Herald: North Dakota appears to be in good financial standing. Do you believe that? And if so, how might the state's financial standing affect the coming session? If there is money to spend, do you have ideas (or predictions) on where it should be spent?

Barta: I do believe that North Dakota is in a good financial position thanks to the stewardship of prior legislatures. I also believe that this provides us the opportunity to invest in programs that will provide property tax relief while still supporting K-12 education, assist in workforce development and support needed improvements to our infrastructure. However, this does not mean that we take an 'open checkbook' approach. We must take a measured approach to our spending to ensure that what we do, does not create budget issues for our children or grandchildren.

Herald: In Grand Forks, a planned technical education center (the Career Impact Academy) received more than $10 million in donations in hopes of getting $10 million in state funding. But construction hasn't yet begun due to a holdup of federal funds flowing to North Dakota — funds that in turn will be distributed by the state. Is there a solution to get this project rolling? And should the state disburse additional funds to accommodate the delays and associated inflationary costs?

Barta: I do believe the state can develop a solution do keep this project, as well as others throughout the state, moving forward. I personally believe it is a critical component in our strategy for workforce development.

Herald: We've heard much about property tax relief in the state, including from the governor's office. Is this a top-of-mind issue for members of the Legislature? Should this be a high priority? And if so, what should be done?

Barta: I can only speak for myself as to whether or not it is a top-of-mind topic for legislators, but for me it is. Tax relief of any kind is a frequent topic of conversation when visiting with constituents. Any time we can reduce to burden on taxpayers and allow people to keep their money in their own pockets, I believe we need to do so.

Herald: What do you feel is Grand Forks' biggest legislative concern as the session begins, and what should be done about it?

Barta: I believe the issue of workforce development is our biggest concern. The reality is that this one area of concern, is actually a compilation for several concerns. Our ability to attract and retain people in Grand Forks is directly impacted by issues such as the availability of reliable and affordable childcare, low taxes (whether it be property or income taxes), attractive wages & benefits, safe & secure communities and a strong school systems all factor into that equation. We need to address all of these in order to be successful in solving our workforce shortage.

Party affiliation: Republican

Years of service in Legislature: First year.

Herald: Do you have any particular bills you'll present or sponsor in the upcoming session? If so, please give details.

Murphy: I am working on a bill to pay for service agreements for equipment found in core facilities at UND and at NDSU. I identified this gap in funding while on the SBHE. These cores are used by companies in the biosciences sector and if we are going to continue to grow these sectors, it is important that the equipment in these cores have service agreements to keep them in optimal condition. If UND and NDSU are to have an integral role in helping to grow the bioscience industry in the Red River Valley, we must have facilities to help attract companies or for use by our own spinout companies.

I am contemplating a bill to create a public-private partnership funded endowment to provide scholarships for nursing students. The idea is in exchange for a scholarship, the students will commit to a nursing position at one of the partner hospitals for five years. This will help stabilize and eventually reverse our nursing shortage, while lowering hospital costs caused by using travel nurses.

Also, I am working on a bill in the mental health care issues that impact our state. So far, this is in the planning stages, but I think the focus will be spread between grants to fund local community mental health options, enhancing our telehealth approach, and a marketing campaign focused on happiness.

I am contemplating moving forward a bill to fund the North Dakota Research Institute, designed to provide a sustainable model for the state to fund research grants in the NDUS. These grants are focused on the sciences and engineering as well as the liberal arts, providing experiential learning opportunities for our undergraduate students and additional funding options to enhance our research enterprise.

Herald: North Dakota appears to be in good financial standing. Do you believe that? And if so, how might the state's financial standing affect the coming session? If there is money to spend, do you have ideas (or predictions) on where it should be spent?

Murphy: I think North Dakota is in an exceptional position with respect to our state's finances. We'll be ending this fiscal year with a projected budget that will be in the black. I think we need to be judicious in how we spend these resources, focusing on long-term projects designed to help diversify our state's economy and expand opportunities for your younger citizens to stay in the State. In addition, we need to demonstrate to others in the US that North Dakota is a forward-thinking state and a great place for them to relocate their family. Then we need to look at other projects that impact our communities in a positive manner.

Herald: In Grand Forks, a planned technical education center (the Career Impact Academy) received more than $10 million in donations in hopes of getting $10 million in state funding. But construction hasn't yet begun due to a holdup of federal funds flowing to North Dakota — funds that in turn will be distributed by the state. Is there a solution to get this project rolling? And should the state disburse additional funds to accommodate the delays and associated inflationary costs?

Murphy: As I recollect, business and industry donors contributed about $11M, to support the grant application for federal funding. This is essentially pass-through funding and at the present time, the grant is awaiting approval by the federal funding agency. There may be a way to finance the project and then repay the short-term loans with the federal money when approved, but that is not without risk.

However, my understanding is that this project is estimated to cost about $30M, which is well beyond the $21M in the budget. This overrun is not completely due to inflation and delays, but also due to planning for a building bigger than the funding would support. As such, the shortfall needs to be made up from a variety of sources and that could include state funding for part or for all of the projected shortfall.

Herald: We've heard much about property tax relief in the state, including from the governor's office. Is this a top-of-mind issue for members of the Legislature? Should this be a high priority? And if so, what should be done?

Murphy: I think for many legislators, this is a top of the mind issue. I heard a lot about efforts to reduce property tax and some who want to eliminate income taxes as well in the State. That said, I think this session presents some unique needs across the State that we must carefully consider as well.

My larger concern is that it we drive property taxes and income tax too low, that when oil revenue declines in 20 years, we'll have some serious sticker shock in North Dakota. I think we need to balance some degree of tax relief while we can do so, but not at the cost of providing important services to our citizens. There is a balance that we need to maintain because we have a great asset that we must use wisely for the future of the sate.

Herald: What do you feel is Grand Forks' biggest legislative concern as the session begins, and what should be done about it?

Murphy: I think there are some significant issues that Higher Education faces in North Dakota that are focused on workforce. Specifically, we need to retain more of our nursing graduates here in North Dakota and similarly, we need to work to retain more of our new teachers as well. Some of these efforts require more attractive and competitive salaries in North Dakota for teachers.

Another important concern is water. We need to continue to focus on how to bring Missouri River water to the Red River Valley, which is critical for economic growth and for the overall future of Grand Forks. We often don't think of water, especially when we have been in a prolonged wet cycle, however the past few years have been drier and that is a concern. In the end, you can't drink dirt, it is that simple.

Workforce will continue to be an issue and the Career Impact Academy is part of that solution as well as our state's higher education system. We need to work on bringing new families and individuals to North Dakota to help fill the existing job market as well as to fuel the expansion of our economy. I see these new people as the modern-day pioneers, looking for the "great life" that we all share in North Dakota.

Party affiliation: Democrat

Years of service in Legislature: House of Representatives since 2020.

Herald: Do you have any particular bills you'll present or sponsor in the upcoming session? If so, please give details.

Ista: As a county prosecutor, I will be sponsoring several bills related to the state's criminal justice system. A particular focus will be strengthening our domestic violence laws so that stalking victims are better protected, more offenders receive intervention programming designed to reduce recidivism, and victims who suffer mental injuries (rather than physical injuries) have more access to justice.

I will also support bills that lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, recruit and retain more workers in the state (especially in education and healthcare), expand access to and affordability of childcare, fully fund public education, and address our growing mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse crises.

Herald: North Dakota appears to be in good financial standing. Do you believe that? And if so, how might the state's financial standing affect the coming session? If there is money to spend, do you have ideas (or predictions) on where it should be spent?

Ista: Thanks in large part to high commodity prices in the agriculture and energy sectors and an unprecedented influx of federal dollars into the state from various COVID relief laws passed by Congress, North Dakota is in good financial standing as we enter the 2023 session. We also have robust financial reserves, including the over $7BLegacy Fund.

Because of our strong fiscal outlook, we have an opportunity to make important investments in areas like childcare, public education, infrastructure, mental and behavioral health, and workforce development. I will advocate for substantial investments in those areas this session.

But we must also be cautious about overextending our long-term financial obligations, especially when so much of our state's revenues ebb and flow based on commodity prices. That's one major reason I am concerned about the sweeping proposal to implement a flat income tax rate in North Dakota. That proposal disproportionately benefits the wealthiest North Dakotans while permanently taking approximately $500M in revenues out of the state budget every biennium. I believe that is the wrong approach for North Dakota.

Herald: In Grand Forks, a planned technical education center (the Career Impact Academy) received more than $10 million in donations in hopes of getting $10 million in state funding. But construction hasn't yet begun due to a holdup of federal funds flowing to North Dakota — funds that in turn will be distributed by the state. Is there a solution to get this project rolling? And should the state disburse additional funds to accommodate the delays and associated inflationary costs?

Ista: Perhaps more than any other issue, investing in career and technical education has brought together lawmakers from across the state—Democrat and Republican, urban and rural, East and West. That is why the delay in releasing federal funds is so frustrating and, frankly, unacceptable. Moreover, while we wait for federal action, the cost of the Career Impact Academy continues to rise. As state lawmakers and elected officials, we must continue pressuring federal officials to act now to release these funds so that construction can begin without further delay. I am also open to the idea of allocating additional state funds to these projects to hold them harmless for the cost increases caused by federal delays. The alternative—cutting programs to stay within existing budgets—should only be a last resort that we work very hard to avoid.

Herald: We've heard much about property tax relief in the state, including from the governor's office. Is this a top-of-mind issue for members of the Legislature? Should this be a high priority? And if so, what should be done?

Ista: High property taxes have been a top-tier concern of the Legislature for at least a generation—and rightfully so. As I talked to voters during my campaign this fall, it was often a top concern, especially for seniors who worry about being able to stay in their homes while on a fixed income. In past sessions, however, long-term solutions have proved a bit elusive since the state does not directly levy property taxes and local governments rely heavily on these taxes to fund important services like schools, infrastructure repair and maintenance, and emergency services.

This session, I expect we will see more proposals that seek to limit the amount of property taxes local entities (like school districts) can assess. While I will carefully consider the details of those plans, I have concerns about the state meddling in these areas of local control. Instead, I prefer solutions that provide direct relief to property taxpayers.

Herald: What do you feel is Grand Forks' biggest legislative concern as the session begins, and what should be done about it?

Ista: Our top concern is ensuring continued economic growth that directly benefits middle-class and working-class families in the city. As we continue to deal with high inflation, we must focus on policies that raise wages and lower costs for families in Grand Forks and across North Dakota. A crucial component of that this session will be workforce development and retention. We can address current workforce shortages through policies that provide targeted incentives in high-need fields like education and healthcare, maintain competitive benefit structures (including the current public employee defined benefit pension plan), expand access to affordable childcare, and train and re-train workers for the jobs we need now and in the future.

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