Episodes

  • 751: North Dakota Measure 2 Debate | Yes vs. No

    751: North Dakota Measure 2 Debate | Yes vs. No
    Oct 20 2026
    Should free breakfast and lunch be guaranteed to every North Dakota student under the state constitution, right alongside textbooks, yellow school buses and the basic right to a public education? That fundamental question drove our debate over Measure 2, putting outgoing state Rep. Zac Ista, a Grand Forks Democrat, and veteran Republican attorney and former party chair Bob Harms on opposite sides of the podium. "When it passes, it's going to do two things immediately: It's going to ensure a nutritious, healthy breakfast and lunch for every K-12 student in North Dakota, and it's going to take the cost of those lunches off the plates of families here in North Dakota to the tune of up to $1,000 per student," Ista said. He framed the measure as both a "value proposition" injecting up to $65 million annually back into family budgets and a "values proposition" aligning with the state constitution's existing guarantee of free public education. Harms countered that Measure 2 is the "wrong vehicle, wrong policy and wrong process." "The constitution represents our fundamental principles that manage our government. It's not there for fashioning day-to-day policy that the people are expected to vote on every two years," Harms said. He argued that mandating an estimated $134 million per biennium into the constitution is fiscally reckless at a time when the governor has requested 3% to 10% agency budget cuts. A core point of disagreement was whether school meal programs ought to be means-tested. Harms noted North Dakota already spends roughly $40 million annually — predominantly through federal funds — to feed low-income students up to 225% of the federal poverty line, or $74,250 for a family of four. "Why would we mandate that my kids get breakfast and lunch?" Harms asked, arguing the measure needlessly subsidizes wealthy families. "Where are mom and dad in all of this? ... We're meeting that need today. If we need to adjust it, we can do that, but we should do that in the legislative body rather than mandated in the constitution." Ista pushed back, comparing universal meals to other universal services provided inside school walls. "We provide books, Chromebooks, transportation, and we provide that to all students for free," Ista said, noting that families making just over the eligibility cap are squeezed by inflation and sudden economic disruptions. He also cited roughly $2 million in unpaid school meal debt lingering in districts statewide that often gets turned over to collections agencies. "This is a tax cut where we don't have to worry at all about how somebody is spending that tax cut, because the only thing you're allowed to spend it on is the school meals that will be reimbursed." That prompted a spirited debate over recent state fiscal policy. When asked why universal school meals are treated as an entitlement while the state's recent $1,600 primary residence property tax credit was celebrated by conservatives without any income testing, Harms dismissed the comparison as "apples and oranges". "That wasn't constitutional, number one," Harms said, adding that expanding state obligations for schooling opens a slippery slope. "If my kid is going to be in school and you're saying, well, he should have food, well, he should have clothing and boots as well. What's the difference?" The mechanics of funding also drew scrutiny. Under Measure 2, if lawmakers do not allocate funding from other sources, the cost is backstopped by Legacy Fund earnings. Harms argued this subverts the fund's original mission to insulate the state against an oil industry collapse, warning that current projections already show earnings falling short of past legislative spending. Ista maintained that the Legacy Fund provision is simply a backstop and that the price tag represents less than 1% of the total state budget. He argued that proponents took the constitutional route only after the Legislature repeatedly refused to fund universal meals in statute. "Voters are right to sort of be fed up by that," Ista said. "The Legislature has shown this is not a top priority for it, so the constitution provides protection so that it won't just be subject to the whims of individual legislators or an individual budget cycle." 00:00 - Introduction & Debate Overview 01:38 - The Affirmative Case for Measure 2 (Rep. Zach Ista) 03:23 - The Opposition Case to Measure 2 (Bob Harms) 07:03 - Legacy Fund vs. Alternative Funding Sources 08:15 - Amending the Constitution vs. Legislative Policy 18:07 - Universal Benefit vs. Means Testing 24:06 - Impact on Federal School Meal Reimbursements 28:40 - Mid-Show Sponsor Break 31:44 - School Meal Debt & Fulfilling State Mandates 36:24 - School Lunches vs. Textbooks & Tech Fees 39:18 - Eligibility for Private School Students 42:00 - Voter Will, Polling & Campaign Funding 50:38 - Data on Student Hunger in North Dakota 54:21 - Closing Remarks & Wrap-Up #northdakota
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    59 mins
  • 750: North Dakota Measure 1 Debate | Yes vs. No

    750: North Dakota Measure 1 Debate | Yes vs. No
    Oct 19 2026

    We began this debate over Constitutional Measure 1 between Grafton businessman James Kerian and North Dakota Watchdog Network director Dustin Gawrylow by asking why voters should—or shouldn't—raise the threshold required to amend the state constitution. "The whole point of having a constitution in our form of government is to have something that is a little more stable, a little more firm at the foundation of our state government," Kerian, who was selected by the pro-Measure 1 group Strong ND to represent the affirmative side, said. "Measure 1 protects our constitution and those constitutional rights by ensuring that, going forward, any changes to the state constitution will have the support of at least six out of every 10 voters." Gawrylow, an activist who has worked on initiated measure campaigns for over a decade, argued that changing the threshold upends the core function of the citizen petition process. "The constitution exists to limit government, not to limit the people," Gawrylow, who was selected by the anti-Measure 1 campaign to represent their views in this debate, said. "When you increase the threshold from a simple majority to 60%, you are empowering the minority—the 40% plus one—to have a filibuster over the 59%." This debate was part of a series of Plain Talk debates between candidates for U.S. House, superintendent, agriculture commissioner, public service commissioner, as well as proponents and opponents of Measures 1 and 2. All of the debates will be available as they release on WDAY Xtra, the Plain Talk YouTube channel, as well as podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. A major clash in the debate centered on out-of-state political spending. Kerian pointed to the millions of dollars pouring in to defeat Measure 1 from The Fairness Project, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive organization. "They tell us in their fundraising letters to their own donors that constitutional ballot measures are how the progressives, how their left-wing agenda, stays on offense in red states," Kerian said, arguing the group has targeted states like Missouri, Montana, and Nebraska and is now eyeing North Dakota. "Voters should ask themselves: Why is all this money coming from an out-of-state organization to attack Measure 1?" Gawrylow agreed that out-of-state money in ballot campaigns is a legitimate concern, but argued Measure 1 does nothing to stop it. If anything, he argued, raising the threshold to 60% will simply require campaigns to raise even more outside cash to run statewide TV air wars, while freezing out regular North Dakotans who lack national funding networks. He also claimed that Strong ND is operating as a dark-money fund backed by establishment political leaders. "The folks that were behind those property tax elimination measures didn't have a bunch of money coming in from out of state," Gawrylow said. "We're going to punish the people that are not part of that process because of the bad actors." When asked whether the measure was a solution in search of a problem, the participants reviewed historical election results. Over the past 20 years, North Dakota voters have approved 19 constitutional amendments, and 15 of them passed with more than 60% of the vote—including the 2022 term limits measure. Kerian argued that data shows 60% is a reasonable and proven bar for popular, broad-consensus policy. "Good ideas, as your reporting demonstrated, can easily clear that number," Kerian said. "That's not some change that makes it impossible to change the constitution." Gawrylow countered that the push is the latest in a 15-year pattern of the Republican-controlled Legislature trying to insulate itself from voter accountability. He cited legislative efforts to impose single-subject rules, create legislative vetoes over citizen measures, and require constitutional amendments to pass across two separate elections. "The Legislature does not like the citizens telling them what to do," Gawrylow said, describing the citizen initiative process as a crucial "pressure-relief valve" for voters. The debate also addressed whether Measure 1 is driven by social issues like abortion. Kerian acknowledged that outside groups have used constitutional amendments to expand abortion access in other red states, but maintained that Measure 1 is about fundamental stability rather than a single policy topic. Gawrylow argued that proponents are leaning heavily on culture-war advertisements regarding abortion and transgender issues to convince conservatives to surrender their own initiative rights. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts. #northdakota
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    59 mins
  • 749: North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Debate | Doug Goehring vs. Vern Thompson

    749: North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Debate | Doug Goehring vs. Vern Thompson
    Oct 16 2026
    We began this debate between Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and his challenger, Democratic-NPL candidate Vern Thompson, by asking about the controversial spread of hyperscale data centers across North Dakota and the Agriculture Commissioner's role on the state's Industrial Commission. "The issue with data centers is a local issue, and it's a private property rights issue," Goehring, the Republican incumbent who has served in the post since 2009, said. While acknowledging the potential economic benefits for rural areas, he argued companies must do better communicating with communities. "You bring in something into the community that people don't know anything about, and inherently they're probably going to gravitate towards something devious, diabolical, or bad." Thompson argued the state has been caught flat-footed. "The state of North Dakota has failed the people of North Dakota in this industry," he said, pointing to his campaign's proposed framework requiring front-end community benefit agreements and back-end decommissioning bonds. "In my view, that should be 125% of whatever the decommissioning is going to cost," Thompson said, comparing the needed protections to those required for coal mines. Thompson also criticized Goehring and state officials for facilitating natural gas pipeline capacity that he argued is being routed to data centers rather than value-added agricultural facilities. Goehring pushed back, noting that natural gas infrastructure into eastern North Dakota was directed by the Legislature to support broader economic development, manufacturing, and value-added agriculture, and argued that large-diameter pipelines provide ample capacity without shutting out other local industries. The debate also turned sharply personal over Goehring's schedule and transparency. Thompson held a press conference prior to the debate highlighting public records regarding Goehring's official calendar and raised an estimate his campaign received for an open records request. "It's shocking to me that you have to pay $123,000 for three and a half years of open records," Thompson said, claiming Goehring has become complacent after 17 years in office while boasting that his own campaign has logged 30,000 miles visiting directly with farmers. Goehring countered that he communicates with agricultural producers across North Dakota daily, but does not believe taxpayers want an official who spends his time issuing press releases for routine work. "I'm visiting all the time, I just don't have it on my calendar or I'm not going out and doing posts and press releases saying where I'm at, what I'm doing," Goehring said. He added that search and legal review fees for massive, multi-year records requests are established by state statute, not his agency. "We have nothing to do with that," Goehring said. "We just comply with open records requests." When asked about the financial pressures facing North Dakota producers, Thompson described the current climate as "the worst farm crisis in 40 years," pointing to elevated input costs, depressed commodity prices, and producer mental health strains. He called for greater state intervention, criticizing the department for not employing a larger roster of in-house credit counselors like the state did during the 1980s farm crisis. Goehring, who began farming during the 1980s, noted key structural differences in the current market, pointing out that land values have remained resilient compared to the massive equity collapse and 20% interest rates of that era. He added that the department maintains contracted mediators and credit counselors to assist producers without carrying unnecessary overhead during years with low caseloads, noting the state recorded no agricultural foreclosures last year. Goehring also addressed federal trade policy and tariffs enacted under former President Donald Trump, reiterating his long-standing position against trade barriers. "People and countries don't pay tariffs; the consumer pays tariffs," Goehring said, emphasizing his work on international trade missions to secure outside market access. "It's just a tax. It's a different form of tax." 00:00 - Introduction & Moderator Welcome 02:15 - Doug Goehring: Opening Statement 05:30 - Vern Thompson: Opening Statement 08:45 - Current State of North Dakota Agriculture 13:10 - Carbon Capture Pipelines & Private Property Rights 18:00 - Eminent Domain & Landowner Protections 22:45 - Value-Added Agriculture & Expanding State Processing 27:30 - Federal Farm Bill & Crop Insurance Priorities 32:15 - Drought Relief, Water Resource Management & Soil Health 37:00 - International Trade, Tariffs & Grain Export Markets 41:40 - Livestock Producers & Feed Support Programs 46:15 - Role & Administration of the ND Department of Agriculture 50:30 - Vern Thompson: Closing Statement 53:45 - Doug Goehring: Closing Statement 57:00 - Final Thoughts & Where to ...
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    59 mins
  • 748: North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Debate | Levi Bachmeier vs. Tracy Foss

    748: North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Debate | Levi Bachmeier vs. Tracy Foss
    Oct 15 2026

    We began this debate between Superintendent of Public Instruction Levi Bachmeier and his opponent Tracy Foss by asking about the teacher bonuses initiative — the Support Teachers and Youth Succeed or "STAYS" legislation — Bachmeier recently announced alongside Rep. Mike Nathe and others.

    "When I talk to high school kids all across our state and ask them what would it take for you to consider going into a great occupation like education, pay has been the first thing out of their mouth 100% of the time," Bachmeier said.

    "People who are working in education are making 20% less than those who hold a bachelor's degree in North Dakota," he added. "So I think we have an obligation to do something."

    But Foss said that the bonuses, while nice, don't solve the challenges teachers are facing. "I agree that money is one of the reasons why teachers are leaving, but it's not the only reason," she said. "$3,400 at the moment is a nice bonus, but it's not going to get them financially stable.

    "Our average is 60,000," she continued, referring to teacher salaries. "The minimum of living wage is 65, and our starting salary is 45. So that isn't even close to a living wage."

    This debate was the second in a series of six Plain Talk debates between candidates for the U.S. House, Superintendent, Agriculture Commissioner, Public Service Commissioner, as well as proponents/opponents of Measures 1 and 2. All of the debates will be available as they release on WDAY Xtra, the Plain Talk YouTube channel, as well as all of the podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

    The candidates agreed that North Dakota is falling behind in terms of funding K-12 education. "I know what not fully funded looks like," Foss, a classroom teacher taking a year off to campaign, told us. "It looks like not enough paras in the classroom. It looks like me spending $1,000 on supplies a year. It means that we don't have enough bus drivers."

    "The percentage of the state's budget going directly into our school districts has been going down over the last several years and that's disappointing," Bachmeier said.

    The candidates also agreed that a push to get cell phones out of schools by Gov. Kelly Armstrong has paid dividends in classrooms, but both said there needs to be more scrutiny on other technology in schools, including school-issued computers.

    "If technology is not having kids think harder, if it's not having them engaged in being active, and if they're just sitting back and passively consuming, that's a problem," Bachmeier said.

    The candidates did find some disagreement over standardized testing. Foss supports regular benchmark testing, but says statewide tests promoting teaching to a score. "My issue is with that final test that we have to take for the state, we don't really use that data for anything in the school," she said. "A test given to a student can only tell you how well that student did on that test that day."

    "When we hyperfocus on that, it does change how education is done," she continued. "We tend to want to make sure that we're doing well on this test, so we go back to somewhat teaching towards this test."

    But Bachmeier pushed back, arguing that parents and policymakers need data to evaluate school performance. He says schools can aim to both do well on the statewide tests while also addressing important intangibles. "We can block and tackle with foundational literacy and math skills and we can also do so many other important things that we can't assess really well right now like collaboration, like critical thinking," he said. "All these skills that are going to be AI-proof in the future."

    If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

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    59 mins
  • 747: North Dakota U.S. House Debate | Julie Fedorchak vs. Trygve Hammer

    747: North Dakota U.S. House Debate | Julie Fedorchak vs. Trygve Hammer
    Oct 14 2026
    Rep. Julie Fedorchak, a Republican, and her Democratic-NPL challenger Trygve Hammer didn't agree on very much when they squared off for a debate on the Plain Talk podcast. My co-host Chad Oban and I asked them if they feel North Dakotans are better off today than they were two years ago. Fedorchak said yes, arguing that on border security alone, North Dakotans are better off thanks to tougher enforcement. She also pointed to tax relief, and exemptions from taxes on overtime and tips. "Yes, I do think that things are better in North Dakota today," she said. Hammer felt the opposite. "What a lot of people are feeling is they're feeling like they are at the mercy of billionaires and big corporations," he said. "People are putting things back on the shelf at the grocery store. People are getting half a tank of gas instead of a full tank of gas. They are deciding between their groceries and their medicine. I know someone who went into Menards to get a pair of windshield wipers and decided to just get the one for the driver's side because they were stretched that thin financially." The candidates met in Bismarck for a debate sponsored by Bismarck State College, Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota, the Lignite Energy Council, and the Broadband Association of North Dakota. This was the first in a series of six Plain Talk debates featuring statewide candidates as well as proponents and opponents of ballot Measures 1 and 2. Hammer said part of what's driving suffering in North Dakota is the war in Iran. "American consumers are hurting. They have spent $2,000 on a regressive tax via the tariffs," he said, and are now spending more "on gas and diesel because of the increased gas and diesel prices because of this war." But Fedorchak defended the war as necessary for national security. "Iran was developing a nuclear weapon behind a shield of missiles that would have been impenetrable. That would be very, very deadly to the U.S. and to all of our allies," she said. Asked about America's more than $40 trillion in national debt, and nearly $2 trillion annual budget deficits which have persisted from President Joe Biden's term into the midpoint of President Donald Trump's second term, Fedorchak said the solution is to cut spending, root out fraud and waste, and to grow the economy. "Most North Dakotans do not think we have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem," she said. "We cannot tax our way out of this." Hammer insisted that tax increases have to be a part of the solution. "We are going to have to tax these billionaires," he said. "We need to hit the revenue side as well as the cutting side. And if we're going to make cuts, let me make them meaningful and well thought out, not like what we saw with DOGE that end up just being destructive," he continued. The candidates also discussed the rising costs of health insurance and health care, energy development, the challenges facing agriculture, and President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada. One area the candidates did find some agreement was the public execution of mass shooter Nidal Hasan proposed by Sec. of War Pete Hegseth and approved by Trump. "I don't support it. I think it is beneath us and kind of puts us on the same level of some of the folks around the world in these terrorist countries that do that very same thing," Fedorchak said. "Same answer," Hammer said. "It is beneath us. It doesn't hurt us psychologically as much as it hurts us spiritually. I think it's bad for the soul of America." 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome 01:17 - Foreign Policy: Conflict in Iran & Fuel Prices 06:56 - National Debt, Spending & Federal Budget Deficit 14:30 - Medicaid Reforms, Work Requirements & ACA 20:06 - Healthcare Costs, Rural Access & Prescription Drugs 26:36 - Healthcare Service Pricing & Transparency 29:20 - Sponsor Break 32:17 - Military Executions & DoD Live Streaming 33:29 - Energy Policy: Coal, Oil, Wind & Grid Reliability 38:59 - North Dakota Farm Crisis, Tariffs & Trade Policy 45:03 - Canadian Trade Relations & Congressional Authority 49:01 - Closing Debate: Are North Dakotans Better Off? 55:20 - Closing Remarks & Sponsor Credits If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
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    59 mins
  • 746: 'We're going to do it the right way'

    746: 'We're going to do it the right way'
    Oct 9 2026

    "We were started 20 years ago by a Minnesota farmer," Blake Nixon said on this episode of Plain Talk.

    Nixon is the CEO of Geronimo Power, a renewable energy and data center company that's planning a data center facility in Harmony Township, west of Fargo in Cass County.

    "Our founder was approached to put wind turbines on his land," Nixon continued, "and he said, 'I don't like how you're approaching, I don't like how you're going to handle this in the community. So, no, I'm not going to be a part of it, but we're going to do it ourselves and we're going to do it the right way.'"

    Nixon told us this story to frame what he says is his company's approach to data centers. "The thing I'm most proud about in running this company is how we approach communities differently," he said. But what does that look like?

    For one, Geronimo, which is in the business of wind and solar farms, plans on bringing its own power generation along. The company is partnering with a local utility, and the cost of serving the data center will be covered by the tariffs paid to the utility.

    There has been some controversy in Harmony Township over this project. A former chairman of the township board sold land to Geronimo for this project prior to taking votes on it. That board member has now resigned and been replaced.

    "I know that there have been some questions raised by the new board member about past votes," Nixon said. "What I know is that everybody acted appropriately and did all the right stuff and followed guidance of township council, and there's zoning administrators and all that stuff and that's all very clear."

    He added that, in terms of scrutiny from regulators and elected officials, there's still plenty of time. "On the data center, it's just starting," he said. "Like, literally, we put in our permit like two weeks ago."

    Nixon was critical of bad actors in the data center industry, saying that early on in the building boom there were some companies doing things the wrong way. He asks the public to judge his company on its track record.

    What, if any, new laws should North Dakota lawmakers consider for data centers in their upcoming session? "No NDAs with public officials," he said. "We're fully transparent. I believe that sunshine's the greatest disinfectant. You don't need NDAs with public officials. We don't. Never have, never will, and don't have them."

    He also endorsed reclamation bonds, saying that's something his company is already familiar with in the wind and solar industry. "I don't think anybody's going to come here and invest billions of dollars and then just let it rot. I just don't believe that," he said. "But if they do, and you have to decommission the facility, we do that in the wind and solar business. Okay, no problem."

    Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the ongoing debate over data centers, the increasingly expensive fight over Measure 1, the cost/benefit of North Dakota's support for Donald Trump, and respond to listener feedback.

    If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 745: 'The main point of this bill is we need teachers'

    745: 'The main point of this bill is we need teachers'
    Oct 7 2026

    State Rep. Mike Nathe, in partnership with Superintendent Levi Bachmeier and Gov. Kelly Armstrong's administration, has announced legislation aimed at paying North Dakota teachers annual retention bonuses funded by the earnings from the Common Schools Trust Fund.

    That fund's balance is currently more than $9 billion and growing. For the next two-year budget cycle, it's projected to generate $718 million in earnings. Nathe's legislation takes 10% of that to fund the bonuses.

    "The main point of this bill is we need teachers," Nathe said of the initiative on this episode of Plain Talk.

    The bonuses would go to all educators working in a position that requires a teaching license, both in public and private schools. Nathe said both because "a teacher is a teacher" wherever they might be teaching.

    Bachmeier supports the legislation because, in his tours of schools statewide, he's seen the teacher shortage firsthand. "We have too many empty classrooms," he said. "Down in McIntosh County, they didn't have an English teacher. Instead of reading novels and having debates, they were staring at a Chromebook."

    "At the end of the day, we all know that the single largest predictor of learning is the quality of the instruction that a teacher provides," he continued. "Pay is not the only solution to our teacher shortage, but [ranking] 41st in the nation [in teacher pay] when we have all the resources that we do, a $9 billion trust fund, we've got to do something."

    Asked if the bonuses would remove urgency for local school boards to keep up with base salaries, Nathe said his bill was written to protect against that. "We have a provision saying that this stipend cannot be used in their negotiations," he said, "and if DPI finds that they are using it in negotiations, DPI can then assess a penalty up to 10% of their per-pupil payment. Now, for a lot of school districts, that's millions and millions and millions of dollars."

    Bachmeier said that raising compensation for teachers is something North Dakotans want.

    "I'm seeing some flak from the left. I've seen some flak from the right. If you're taking flak, that means you're probably over the target. And our target here is the workforce shortage of teachers," he said. He also referred to a recent survey commissioned by his agency finding that "80% [of North Dakotans] think that teachers are underpaid. There aren't many 80/20 issues left in this world."

    Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I talk about the failure of the wards measure in Fargo, my change of heart on Measure 2 (the school meals amendment), and the upcoming Plain Talk debates, which will begin releasing next week. We record on October 13, so be sure to get your questions for the candidates in at PlainTalkND.com.

    If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 744: 'We do have a lot of programs and it's confusing for us'

    744: 'We do have a lot of programs and it's confusing for us'
    Oct 2 2026

    We invited North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken on this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the problems at the state's Development Fund, which run the gamut from poor accounting and record-keeping to practically nonexistent policies concerning things like conflicts of interest.

    What he brought us was the announcement of a new initiative, called ReadyND, and while it's not intended to address the Development Fund problems directly, it is aimed at addressing some of the issues that may have contributed to it. Namely, a state economic development process that is scattered across numerous boards, commissions, and state agencies.

    "How many state agencies build roads? One, right?" he said. "I think if you were to ask how many state agencies do economic development, you probably come up with more than one. And that to me is what we're trying to fix."

    "I mean, we do have a lot of programs and it's confusing for us as an agency," he continued, "but it's also really confusing for the public and companies that are looking for what kind of programs we have to offer."

    Both Schilken and his boss, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, have talked about reforming the Commerce Department "down to the studs." As a part of that initiative, Schilken said he welcomed the audit, and that his agency actually worked with state Sen. Kent Weston on getting it done.

    "Coming in as a new commissioner and kind of reiterating the governor's comments about down to the studs, we had to know what we were working with. And there was plenty of chatter out there about things that hey, we need to look into this," he said. "So, it was a good chance to find out where we're at to know where we're going. But that didn't stop the conversations from day one about how we revamp economic development and workforce development and things throughout the state."

    But he said economic development is absolutely something North Dakota must keep doing.

    "Economic development isn't like a light switch that you can just turn on and off. You have to stay consistent at it," he said.

    "It's all fun until your school starts losing kids, until you don't have health care, until you lose your grocery store, and then the only thing you have left is a gas station that, if you're lucky, is open till noon, right?" he continued. "I mean, that's not a thriving rural economy. That's not a thriving economy."

    Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss restoring public trust in state government, the controversies around using taxpayer funds for campaign ads, the debate over Measure 1, the upcoming Plain Talk debates, and we take listener feedback on the F5 Project investigation.

    If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

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    1 hr and 11 mins