Mike Nowatzki and Mike Kennedy
BISMARCK– North Dakota is funding infrastructure, education and other priorities, putting the Legacy Fund to work for current and future generations, and maintaining healthy reserves without raising taxes, Gov. Doug Burgum said today after the 67th Legislative Assembly adjourned its regular session sine die.
“This session delivered results that keep North Dakota on the path toward a bright and prosperous future,” Burgum said. “Working with the Legislature, we’ve delivered a balanced budget that keeps general fund spending in check, makes strategic investments in education, the economy and tax relief, and contains the largest infrastructure bonding package in state history – paid for with Legacy Fund earnings and not one extra dollar from taxpayers’ pockets.”
Burgum: Session keeps general fund spending in check, invests in infrastructure without raising taxes and puts Legacy Fund to work for North Dakotans
BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota is funding infrastructure, education and other priorities, putting the Legacy Fund to work for current and future generations, and maintaining healthy reserves without raising taxes, Gov. Doug Burgum said today after the 67
th Legislative Assembly adjourned its regular session
sine die.
“This session delivered results that keep North Dakota on the path toward a bright and prosperous future,” Burgum said. “Working with the Legislature, we’ve delivered a balanced budget that keeps general fund spending in check, makes strategic investments in education, the economy and tax relief, and contains the largest infrastructure bonding package in state history – paid for with Legacy Fund earnings and not one extra dollar from taxpayers’ pockets.”
North Dakota Takes Multipronged Approach to Cybersecurity
The North Dakota Information Technology Department is focusing on several new initiatives to increase cybersecurity across government agencies as well as for the individuals they serve. Shutterstock/vs148
The never-ending onslaught of cyber attacks against government is pushing the state of North Dakota to take proactive action on several fronts, including the education space and working with the public to understand these threats.
The state’s cybersecurity strategy, which was accelerated by the passing of Senate Bill 2110 in February 2019, has focused largely on giving the North Dakota Information Technology Department (NDIT) authority on cybersecurity matters for the state’s 400 public entities. In the past year, the strategy has broadened with targeted initiatives, such as a statewide awareness campaign, incorporating efforts to make individuals more resilient against cyber attacks.
North Dakota Hires Latvian Support For Our Outdated Technology.
At least our doctors aren t still using leeches for our annual blood lettings. But North Dakota s Unemployment Insurance Program is running on a platform so old that we have to go to the medieval heart of Eastern Europe to find druids that are learned in it s ancient ways. We re talking about mainframe computers that are so old, a Commodore 64 can probably process circles around it. (Please note, if you get that reference, than you too are so old ).
Governor Doug Burgum made his fortune on riding the tide of technology. This is more like a mud puddle of machines. For years now, and at a considerable cost, the state has been able to maintain the system. The Grand Forks Herald reports that according to Duane Schell, chief technology officer for the North Dakota Information Technology Department, much of that considerable cost is maintaining the service of Latvian scientists that are familiar with it s outdated mainframe
North Dakota needed to hire Latvians to manage state s ancient computer system
A college in Latvia still teaches a curriculum on this outdated programming language, so North Dakota opted to hire two Latvians to help manage and maintain the state s unemployment insurance mainframe. 7:00 am, Dec. 27, 2020 ×
North Dakota s unemployment insurance mainframe computer, similar to the 1980s system seen here, is so outdated the state had to look overseas to Latvia to find programmers to maintain it. Special to The Forum
BISMARCK The state of North Dakota has computer systems so old that almost no one knows how to manage them.
So few people have an expertise in 1980s mainframe computers that North Dakota officials had to look overseas, to the eastern European country of Latvia, to find a pair of programmers to maintain the state s ancient technology.