11 April 2023

North Dakota state senators...

 ... defeated a bill to provide free school lunches to low-income K-12 students.

Ten days later they voted to raise the per-diem reimbursements they receive while traveling in the state, from $35/day to $45/day.
"State employees should get a higher per diem because inflation has made eating out much more expensive, he noted."

7 comments:

  1. I mean one is a socialist handout and the other is a well earned benefit of being gainfully employed.

    To be clear, I don't believe that. Neighbors are racing to the bottom.

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    1. I am confused by your comment. Would you be kind enough to clarify please.
      Your follow up "to be clear" isn't clear to me.

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  2. Wealthy North Dakota state senators doing battle in the rich-on-poor class war they're elected to prosecute. Many who could never be elected without the support of working poor voters, stuck on guns and abortion. Also working poor voters feeling abandoned by Beltway, meritocratic, identity-fetishizing Democrats. These state senators are of the same mentality as those at the federal level who will try to maim Social Security. America needs a political brain transplant.

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  3. To be fair, a per diem of $45 is still extremely low. The federal government per diem for ND is $98; my state government (LA) follows the federal government reimbursement rates, as do others I'd imagine. https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

    Those who might decry reasonable expense reimbursements to legislators (or a reasonable salary) on the basis of their median wealth may want to consider why someone would take the job if it doesn't pay well. You get what you pay for. Sometimes I consider public service, but then remember how hellishly toxic it has become for these people (these days, even teachers and librarians), and realize you couldn't pay me enough.

    Still incredibly (and seemingly maliciously) tone-deaf to take these actions so close together though.

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  4. This is not a defense of the decision. This vote did not keep poor children from getting free or reduced lunches (and breakfast) at school. A federal program already provides for students in all states to receive free or reduced meals if their family's adjusted gross income is below 130% of the poverty level (for a family of four that would be about $40,000 in 2023) The bill would have raised the number to 200% in North Dakota (about $60,000). Most states use the federal percentage of 130%.

    A North Dakota state legislator is paid $537/month plus per diem They do have term limits (8 years) The House and Senate sit for 80 days in odd-numbered years.

    There are 43 Republicans, 4 Democrats in the ND Senate. The vote on the lunch bill was 23 for, 24 against. The lunch bill had already passed in the state house, 80-11. ( there are 80 Republicans, 14 Democrats in the ND House)

    The per diem increase applies to all state employees.

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    1. Correction: The North Dakota State House has 82 Republican members, 12 Democratic.

      FWIW, the Democratic Party in North Dakota calls itself the The North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party (NPL). It is the North Dakota affiliate of the national Democratic Party.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota_Democratic%E2%80%93Nonpartisan_League_Party

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  5. In other North Dakota news:

    "North Dakota Senate passes $10M school voucher bill"

    "The North Dakota Senate voted 27-19 on Tuesday, April 11, to approve House Bill 1532, which would set aside $10 million from the state’s general fund for an educational reimbursement program."

    https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-senate-passes-10m-school-voucher-bill

    Also from the news article:

    The bill passed in the House previously (54-40), but the Senate amended the bill so it will have to go back to the House for another vote.

    House Bill 1532 would provide up to $3,200 to a private school if requested by a student’s family. Available to families whose income is below 500% of poverty level, about $150,000 for a family of four. Two-thirds of districts in ND have no private school option within an accessible distance.
    _______

    I have read the bill and IMO, it almost exclusively applies to students who are already attending or have been accepted to private schools. Not counting pre-K schools, there are 42 private schools in ND.

    There are lots of places to find rankings of state public school systems. I stopped after looking at 7. North Dakota ranked from 6th to 25th on the sites I checked.

    Full disclosure: I was a public school teacher for 30+ years. Both of my children were homeschooled for K-12, a choice not in any way related to religion or political views. My opinion: School choice legislation is an oxymoron, as it does not give any choice to schools. Well, at least not public schools.

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