“Federal dollars” often spell federal control

The federal government shutdown is now in its second week, with no deal in sight. For state budgets, the implications are likely insignificant, especially since the majority of federal grants…

Threats of a looming government shutdown have become so commonplace that few take notice anymore. While most are averted through Congressional action after the requisite measure of partisan political posturing…

In our report “The State of Minnesota’s Economy: 2020: A focus on economic growth,” we wrote that: Per capita economic growth comes from three sources: an increase in the amount…

This content originally appeared in the Put Kids First ND newsletter on Jan. 30, 2025. Gov. Armstrong Proclaims 2025 School Choice Week for North Dakota “Every person deserves and recognizes…

The North Dakota Board of Higher Education has named Brent Sanford as the system’s new Chancellor (a title soon to be changed to Commissioner). It’s the right choice.

After falling to a record low of 9.8 percent in 2023, North Dakota’s poverty rate rose to 11.1 percent in 2024, per new US Census Bureau data. Among the 50 states,…

Support for the new federal tax-credit scholarship program crosses political party lines, according to a recent national poll from 3D Strategic Research.  The poll, commissioned by the American Federation for Children,…

The North Dakota Monitor reported on the North Dakota Petroleum Council’s annual meeting last week: Natural gas is going to be the “savior” of the power grid. That was the…

The two certainties in life, the old adage has it, are “death and taxes.” Whether it’s income taxes, sales taxes, or property taxes, it’s hard to escape frequent reminders that…