North Dakota Budget Officials Confident About Cuts

North Dakota’s top budget official says she’s confident state agencies will be able to “live within” mandatory budget cuts.

The cuts are needed to help make up for a $1 billion budget shortfall that’s largely due to slumping oil prices.

Budget Director Pam Sharp says state agencies have submitted the required cuts ordered by Gov. Dalrymple earlier this month.

Agencies were asked to trim their budgets by four percent, or about $245 million.

Sharp says she doesn’t know of any agency that is cutting positions but many are limiting raises and bonuses.