By Rep. Jake Blum
Grand Forks is coming away from the 2019 legislative session with big wins. Republicans have sponsored bills addressing infrastructure funding, technology sector investment, workforce development and base retention.
Our growing community faces a number of infrastructure needs. Our Republican delegation was proud to support HB 1066, known as Operation Prairie Dog. This bill uses revenue from oil production taxes to fund critical infrastructure projects at the county, township and city levels across the state. The amount of money each political subdivision will receive is based on a formula that accounts for the subdivision's size, population and growth rate.
Here in Grand Forks, we are set to receive $12,007,707 while the county gets $5,205,400. This money will go a long way in providing the infrastructure our city needs to continue growing and prospering.
Republicans are also working to diversify North Dakota's economy. One example is our investment in Unmanned Aircraft Systems statewide infrastructure. This investment in the technology sector will spur more high-tech, high-wage jobs here in Grand Forks. We are already a world leader in UAS technology, but with this state investment, we will expand the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and corridor. We believe that securing this infrastructure will encourage significant investment from private industry into Grand Forks's economy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Another bill that will have a significant impact here in Grand Forks is Senate Bill 2306, sponsored by Grand Forks Sen. Scott Meyer, which establishes license reciprocity for trailing military spouses. Currently, when airmen move to Grand Forks, their spouses must go through the entire licensure process again.
One individual testified that when she followed her husband to North Dakota, she had to wait a full nine months to get her professional license, even though she had practiced for years. This bill will help supply necessary human capital more quickly to fill the labor shortages our city is currently facing. It will also contribute base retention; in fact, the Air Force listed license reciprocity as an important factor when considering strategic basing decisions. This bill passed unanimously in both chambers and is a huge win for our city.
I'm also working to address the workforce shortage by co-sponsoring House Bill 1171, which provides a student loan repayment plan for students going into high-demand career fields if they stay in the state after graduation. The program levies matching dollars from the private sector, combining them with profits from the Bank of North Dakota and making this a smart investment in our workforce and our state.
Finally, I am excited to report that the House and Senate and agreed on a state employee salary package that includes a 2% raise during the first year of the biennium with a minimum raise of $120 per month and a maximum of $200 per month, and a 2.5% increase during the second year of the biennium. The state will also continue funding all the employee's health insurance, the cost of which is increasing by $186 per month per employee. This proposal is fair for all our state employees and will help the state attract and retain qualified employees so that we can operate effectively.
Grand Forks is coming away from this legislative session with huge wins. On issues ranging from workforce development to infrastructure funding to base retention, I've been proud to advocate for policies that benefit District 42 and our state.
Jake Blum, a Republican, is a member of the state House of Representatives, representing District 42 in Grand Forks.
