Lawmakers gather in Bismarck next week for a projected three-day Legislative session.
The issue: dealing with a projected $310 million shortfall.
They’ll be gaveled in at 9 am Tuesday. And at 9:30, Gov. Jack Dalrymple will address a joint session.
Senate Minority Leader Mac Schneider (D-Grand Forks) said he expects the session will be limited to the pressing budget matter.
"We should make sure we're fixing the budget in a compassionate and strategic way," Schneider said. "There are lots of other important issues in North Dakota. But the fact is, we don't have the capacity to deal with those issues in a three day session."
Dalrymple is expected to present one bill to implement the fixes – which will include dipping into some reserve funds. Doing that requires Legislative action.
Schneider said Democrats have been pushing for a special session since March – to make some adjustments to Dalrymple’s earlier 4.05 percent across the board allotment.
"We don't think it makes any sense to cut state funds that are used to leverage federal dollars," Schneider said. "We don't think it makes any sense to cut a very popular property tax credit. Those took effect through cruise control, and we want to get the car out of the ditch."
Preliminary plans call for a joint hearing of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees Tuesday afternoon. The full Senate will get the bill first, on Wednesday.
