Prairie Dog bill secures GPT funds for city, county
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
With a stroke of his pen on Wednesday, March 20, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed one of the key pieces of legislation that oil-producing areas, such as McKenzie County and Watford City, desperately needed.
House Bill 1066, which was dubbed “Operation Prairie Dog,” uses proceeds from the state’s oil and gas tax revenues to provide $250 million to cities, counties and townships across the state for infrastructure needs.
But for McKenzie County and Watford City, the passage of this key legislation secures their Gross Production Tax (GPT) into the future. And it maintains the current state formula that sees 30 percent of the oil and gas taxes generated in McKenzie County being returned locally to fund county and city projects.
While maintaining the split in oil and gas tax revenues was critical to Watford City and McKenzie County, Vawnita Best, Watford City community development director, says that removing the sunset language was equally important.
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