The North Dakota Legislature’s Republican party unveiled a $280 million plan to fund infrastructure projects outside of the state’s oil market.
The proposal would reconfigure oil tax distributions to set aside $115 million for counties and an equal amount for cities. It also would set aside $50 million for airport projects.
The draft legislation assumes that oil production will hold at the current level of 1.2 million barrels daily, and at a price of $52.50.
Under the plan, $25 million would be invested into the state’s biggest city of Fargo; followed by Bismarck at $16 million. Grand Forks and West Fargo each would get about $12 million.
The Legislature in 2015 approved a one-time $1.4 billion spending plan to address problems tied to the oil boom in the western part of the state.
“Now is the time to start funding for the infrastructure for the rest of the state,” said Mike Nathe, a Republican member of the North Dakota House of Representatives, to local reporters.
