BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Candidates for North Dakota governor tackled such issues as mental health, drug addiction treatment, and oil and property tax policy Thursday in the first of three debates planned for the race.
The Bismarck Tribune reported (https://bit.ly/2bTmqy0 ) that Republican Party candidate Doug Burgum, Democratic state Rep. Marvin Nelson and Marty Riske of the Libertarian Party laid out their priorities at a Bismarck hotel. They faced off as part of a policy summit sponsored by the Greater North Dakota Chamber.
Nelson and Burgum disagreed over the state’s ability to provide mental health services and drug addiction treatment. Nelson said North Dakota has not handled mental health properly since the 1980s farm crisis when farmers were on edge in difficult financial situations.
“I hear a lot of lip service. I do not see a commitment of any kind,” he said.
Burgum, taking a more optimistic tone, said the problem will take a coalition effort with input from law enforcement, faith-based organizations and community leaders.
“This is not something the state can solve itself,” he said.
Riske said, “The best policy is to make natural drugs legal, safe and free so that criminals disappear and lives are regained.”
The candidates debated briefly on the Republican-dominated Legislature’s move to change the state’s oil tax structure last session. Lawmakers lowered North Dakota’s 6.5 percent oil extraction tax to 5 percent effective Jan. 1. They raised the threshold for hitting the state’s large oil tax trigger after that date.
The law created an overall 10 percent tax on industry, while leaving the state’s 5 percent gross production tax untouched.
Democrats have called it a giveaway to industry, and Republicans say it provides stability and predictability for the oil industry and the state’s oil tax structure.
Burgum said the decision was the correct one, with North Dakota’s revenues dropping significantly since then. Nelson called the push for oil tax changes shameful. Riske said the changes appeared to have been a good deal for North Dakota.
Two more debates are scheduled in October.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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