Burgum calls special session to address redistricting, tax relief, infrastructure

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR/KCND) – Gov. Doug Burgum says he will call a special session Nov. 8 for the Legislature to handle redistricting and to consider how to spend the latest COVID-19 federal relief money.

Burgum says he’s happy with the priorities laid out for spending COVID-19 relief money. But he wants lawmakers to use some of the state’s general fund balance to give North Dakota income tax payers a one-time $500 credit.

House Majority Leader Chet Pollert says he’s aware of a bill that would permanently lower the income tax rate. But he says that will have to go through a delayed bills committee, before the special session would take it up.

Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner said he would prefer that such a proposal wait until the 2023 session.

Burgum says the state has just over $1 billion in ARPA State Fiscal Relief funds and $113 million in ARPA Coronavirus Capital Projects funds, for a total of $1.12 billion.

Lawmakers authorized $423 million in appropriations last spring for transportation infrastructure and capital projects if federal funding could be identified, and Burgum is recommending they reauthorize those appropriations using ARPA dollars.