Public Affairs – Page 14 – TheMinotVoice.com

Federal tax credit for multi-generational home renovations now available to Canadians

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

What happens when the cost of housing is so expensive that young and old alike can’t get started or can’t afford to continue living alone? In Canada, the solution the federal government is incentivizing is renovating single-family homes to accommodate more people and better allow for multi-generational living. Why does it matter in Minot? We’ve

Read & Share sourced from: CBC

East Grand Forks City Council reviews proposed sales tax for upgrades to city’s recreational facilities

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

How does a place pay for the nice things it wants like parks and playgrounds? Taxes. And in East Grand Forks, the City Council is contemplating adding a sales tax to pay for adding and upgrading recreational facilities. The question on the tax isn’t if, it’s how much? And the answer is going to be

Read & Share sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Shared Power Used to be the Norm in Statehouses. Now It’s Nearly Extinct

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

North Dakota is what is known as a trifecta state. It’s a term that describes the circumstance of a single political party controlling the governorship and both houses of the state legislature. In North Dakota, we have a Republican trifecta. It’s a trend more common in states than it has been in a long time;

Read & Share sourced from: PEW

Amid Budget Request, Minot State Enrollment Trending Down With Possible Silver Linings Locally

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

Minot State’s student enrollment has been trending down in recent years, but there’s an emerging silver lining — local numbers are up. Current enrollment shows 2,167 students with significant growth in freshman students from NW North Dakota. Jill Schramm with the Minot Daily News has the full story including comments from MSU President Dr. Steve

Read & Share sourced from: Minot Daily News

North Dakota Senate OKs higher THC limit for medical marijuana patients

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

A bill to up the limits on the quantities and types of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) that can be purchased from North Dakota’s medical dispensaries is one-third the way to becoming a law. Yesterday, the Senate voted 33-14 to pass the bill that was modified slightly on the floor. Jack Dura with the

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota lawmakers weigh income, property tax cut bills

by: Josh Wolsky | January 12, 2023

The State of North Dakota’s budget surplus is among the reasons Governor Burgum and legislators are signaling tax relief, but there’s no consensus yet on what it should look like. Jack Dura and Jeremy Turley, in a joint news story between The Bismarck Tribune and Forum News Services, have the details on the property tax

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Bill would require personal details about those requesting public records

by: Josh Wolsky | January 11, 2023

When it comes to government, transparency is the foundation on which trust is built. And the law that protects transparency more than any other is the one that says government records are public records and we the public can access them. It doesn’t matter the reason why. The law and its protections are very much

Read & Share sourced from: InForum

What is the Farm Bill and why does it matter? Here’s what to know.

by: Josh Wolsky | January 11, 2023

The Farm Bill is a big, sweeping piece of national legislation that takes place every five years. In 2018, it was funded to the amount of $428 billion. But what’s in it, and what does it do? If you’re a little bit curious, this article from The Gazette is a good primer.

Read & Share sourced from: Cedar Rapids Gazette

ND bill aims to cap K-12 superintendent pay, merge leadership of small districts

by: Josh Wolsky | January 11, 2023

House Bill 1251, if successful, would consolidate the administration of the state’s smaller school districts and put a cap on superintendent salaries. Controversy is sure to emerge anytime local control is challenged. C.S. Hagen’s writing for Inforum has the full story.

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North Dakota attorney general seeks 29% budget increase; Wrigley seeks upgrades, more staff

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

North Dakota’s first-term Attorney General, Drew Wrigley isn’t wasting any time in his attempt to overhaul the office. Mr. Wrigely has proposed a budget increase of more than 29% in his first legislative session and a big priority is an improvement to services at the state crime lab. Travis Svihovec has the full story at

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

City Offices to Close for Martin Luther King Day

by: MinotVoice | January 10, 2023

City of Minot offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, including City Hall, Public Works, and the Engineering Department. The regular City Council meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The Minot Public Library will be open on Jan. 16 from

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Following Fufeng uproar, bill would bar foreign governments from buying ag land in North Dakota

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

A Bismarck legislator introduced a bill to prevent foreign governments from purchasing and holding agricultural land in North Dakota. It’s the latest in the Fufeng saga. Fufeng announced its intentions to build a corn milling plan in Grand Forks in late 2021, and opposition quickly arrose out of national security concerns related to a Chinese-owned

Read & Share sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Bismarck School Board censures Eckroth, Citizens organizing recall petition

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

A Bismarck School Board member has been censured by her colleagues. Board Member Emily Eckroth was arrested for obstruction during a traffic stop incident involving her husband last fall. Video of the event shows both the reason for the arrest and censure. At Monday’s meeting where the censure vote took place, Eckroth stated she would

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Deadline approaches for homestead & disabled veteran tax relief

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

The deadline to apply for two property tax relief programs is approaching. Jill Schramm has the program details on the Disabled Veteran & Homestead Tax credits at The Minot Daily News.

Read & Share sourced from: Minot Daily News

Montana to explore free school meals

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

For two years during COVID, the federal government supported school lunch programs. And for one Montana legislator, Melissa Romano, what she saw were benefits that outweigh the costs. So much so that she’s introduced a bill to maintain the program statewide. Get the full story from The Missoulian.

Read & Share sourced from: The Missoulian

How one New Jersey City Got to Zero Traffic Deaths on Its Streets

by: Josh Wolsky | January 10, 2023

How many traffic deaths are acceptable? The answer should always be zero, but we currently accept a lot more than that. In North Dakota, it’s typically more than 100 annually; across the country in 2021, the total was more than 42,000. So what does it take to get that number to zero? Jersey City, New

Read & Share sourced from: Bloomberg