BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Republican Doug Burgum succeeded in being elected North Dakota’s governor by running as an outsider and vowing to “reinvent state government.”
Turns out, it takes time.
The wealthy one-time computer software executive, who took over as governor in December after Jack Dalrymple served six years in the job, took charge against the backdrop of an unprecedented state revenue shortfall and with widespread attention being paid to the contentious protest over the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
Burgum said he got his start in circumstances far different from his predecessors.
“We were in full-blown crisis management,” he told The Associated Press in an interview.
The Legislature adjourned last week. Burgum said almost all his time during the first half of the session was dedicated to reacting to pipeline protests that lasted until late February.
“We really missed the opportunity to drive things,” he said.
Still, Burgum gives himself a B-plus for his first legislative session, which was highlighted by the passage of a $4.3 billion general fund budget, which was $1.7 billion less than the one passed two years ago due to struggling energy and agriculture prices.
While Burgum still has several budget bills yet to sign, he and the Legislature mostly agreed on spending priorities.
The need to reduce spending “was loud and clear and there really was never any debate,” the governor said.
Burgum was rarely seen getting involved in the Legislature’s day-to-day workings, though he said he “had a high-level of engagement” in the second half “in and outside of the Capitol.”
Some lawmakers criticized the lack of involvement, while others said it was appropriate.
“He spent very little time coming down here,” Republican House Majority Leader Al Carlson said. “He allowed us to do the job we were elected to do.”
Carlson said the governor is a “quick study” and spent more time listening to lawmakers than lobbying them.
Burgum, who is working with a Legislature that is firmly in GOP hands, also pledged to buck what he called the “good old boy” party establishment. Carlson said such comments were not well received by the GOP lawmakers, but they didn’t lead to any confrontations or notable legislative interference with his management authority.
Burgum vetoed only a few of the more than 400 bills the Legislature sent him, and the Legislature didn’t override any of his vetoes.
Lawmakers say the true test of the governor’s working relationship with the Legislature will come when lawmakers meet again in two years.
Burgum said he looked at this session as being a football coach hired with just a couple of weeks left in the season.
“Now I got 20 months to prepare and I’m going to make full use of it,” the governor said.
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