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Thursday, March 22, 2012 ■ Covering the Williston Basin ■ Volume 2, Issue 12 ‘A new beginning’ Associated Press


Ryan Taylor, the North Dakota Democratic candidate for governor, speaks to the state Democratic convention at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on March 16, shortly after the delegates endorsed him.


Make oil work for the people, Taylor says


By NICK SMITH Bismarck Tribune


nority Leader Ryan Taylor of Towner de- livered an emotional acceptance speech before an Alerus Center crowd of more than 1,000 on March 16 during the fi rst day of the 2012 North Dakota Demo- cratic-NPL Party convention. “What can I say?” Taylor asked a sea of supporters, some wearing blue foam


GRAND FORKS — State Senate Mi-


cowboy hats modeled after the white hat Taylor often dons. “I accept this party’s nomination.” After a brief introduction, Taylor im-


mediately pursued a theme of working to take the state’s successful economy and using it to build a prosperous future for all North Dakotans. “It’s about a new beginning and an


opportunity to elect a people’s governor of North Dakota,” Taylor said. Taylor spoke of having an open door


Williams Co. clerk


work overload Offi ce closes doors Friday afternoons to catch up on workload — 2


policy in which ordinary North Dako- tans will have access to the governor’s of- fi ce the same as those in the oil and gas industry do. He said contrary to accusa- tions made against him by opponents across the aisle as being anti-oil, he’s quite in favor of oil production. “I’m all for the Bakken, the Three


Forks, Tyler. Heck, I’m even for the Nes- son Anticline,” Taylor said. However, he said, he’s also for the


Continued on page 6 Oil rules could


curb drilling North Dakota’s regulations are among the most stringent in the nation — 5


Planning for oil tax money


By NICK SMITH Bismarck Tribune


how to structure the state Legacy Fund to benefi t future North Dakotans, Sen. Dwight Cook, R-Mandan, says. Cook, who chairs the state Senate


Finance and Taxation Committee, said about $219.5 million in oil and gas tax collections has been placed in the Legacy Fund. If the current tax collection rate continues, Cook said, the fund could have about $1 billion by the end of the current biennium. Cook, speaking at a March 15 press


It’s time to begin a conversation on


conference at the Capitol, announced plans to introduce a resolution in the 2013 legislative session to have the Leg- islative Management Committee begin a study on methods of investing the fund and on its long-term priorities. “We need to put these ideas into the public policy arena, which is the Legisla- ture,” Cook said. “It’s a serious discussion. We need to come up with a plan ... that benefi ts the people of North Dakota.” If the resolution were passed in 2013,


the Legislative Management Committee would take the interim to study vari- ous methods of investment, including models of how states such as Wyoming and Alaska have set up their oil tax trust funds. The group would report its fi nd- ings and recommendations along with any legislation proposed for the 2015 session.


The oil tax trust fund in Alaska was Continued on page 6


Higher gas prices


threaten economy As gas prices continue to rise, spending and job growth could stall — 16


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