North Dakota lawmakers could face the upcoming biennium with less money to spend than they did in the current biennium.
Projections show the state could have $900 million to $1 billion less.
The state’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has begun meeting with state agencies, to look at the potential available revenue, and what they may need to do in drafting budget proposals for the 2027-2029 biennium.
For now, the state has the money to finish the current biennium, without any kind of allotment.
An allotment is an across-the-board reduction in spending. That’s the only power a Governor has when the Legislature isn’t in session. The last one was in 2016.
There had been rumors circulating that Governor Armstrong may have to order an allotment. But Armstrong says that won’t happen, because the state has money to finish the current two year period.
OMB will start working on a new revenue forecast this month.
Re-imagining the University System?
On another subject, one member of the state Board of Higher Education has come up with a “suggestion” that the system look at an option for consolidation. At the last Board meeting, member Curtis Biller offered a plan to have four “hub” universities – UND, NDSU, Minot State and Bismarck State – making the other seven as “spokes” of the main campuses. Minot State would manage Williston State and Bottineau, BSC would manage Dickinson State, NDSU would manage Valley City State and the North Dakota College of Science at Wahpeton, and UND would manage Mayville State and Lake Region at Devils Lake.
Biller also suggested that some of the institutions could become “technical colleges,” to meet workforce needs. He did not present it as a “proposal,” but suggested it could be a starting point for discussion.
And during that meeting, the potential for an allotment was briefly mentioned.
This discussion could be interesting going forward.
