Grabinger’s bill withdrawn: Use of state sales tax for county infrastructure eliminated

A bill to fund county roads with a portion of the sales tax proceeds has been withdrawn from consideration by its sponsor.

Sen. John Grabinger, D-Jamestown, had introduced a bill in the North Dakota Senate that would have transferred 1.5 percent of the 5 percent sales tax collected by the state to the county where it was collected. The bill required the county to match 20 percent of the funds and stated the county could only use the money for infrastructure.

“I couldn’t get support from the other side of the aisle,” Grabinger said, referring to the Republican majority. “I also was notified by the tax commissioner that there were some problems with the language of the bill.”

Grabinger said withdrawing the bill eliminates the concept of using state sales tax money for county infrastructure from being considered this session.

“I have suggested there be a study of the issue but I have not had a response to that,” he said.

The Senate and the House recently passed and the governor signed an emergency transportation appropriations bill. That bill makes more than $700 million immediately available for road projects that could be bid this winter with construction planned for this summer.

Grabinger said most senators preferred that funding bill to his concept.

“I’m disappointed,” he said. “It has merit. I sure wish I could have gotten support.”

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: news, north, dakota, legislature