By Ralph Metcalf 

    Inflation! Have you ever heard that word before? Have you experienced any inflation in your daily living? Have gasoline prices gone up? Have you noticed an increase in your grocery bill? This inflation has also drastically affected the construction industry which depends on materials and transportation throughout our country to gather the items needed to build.
    It seems that right now inflation controls this country. It really makes me wonder why. Is there a true need out there to drive all these prices up or are we just victims of another cruel word, greed. Is there anyway of controlling greed that has raised its cruel head above a society that seems to accept it without making any attempt to control it. If someone knows the answer, please let me know and I will run for president. And you think you have troubles now. Enough of that.
    The prison project that I have been studying for the last year is running into the same problem, inflation. The governor’s original proposal of $44 million to rejuvenate our correctional facility in 2007 has just increased to more than $60 million, possibly as high as $70 million. That is almost a 50 percent increase in a little more than a year. The price provided by our contracted study group, Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), is around $85 million for similar remodeling which is close to a 100 percent increase. Now CJI, knowing how slowly state governments act, has purposely priced the project based on 2012 projected prices which add 8 percent inflation in each of the coming four years. CJI has suggested that a special session of the legislature be called soon and get this project moving as rapidly as possible to get ahead of inflation. Is this a good suggestion? Maybe it is time our governor makes a decision.
    Our committee has not decided which road to travel concerning our prison. We could still recommend that we build a new prison for well over $200 million, but I don’t see that happening. We absolutely do need to remodel for the safety of our workers and our prisoners or we could just sit back and eventually a serious incident will happen with many individuals killed or injured and then the state of North Dakota can pay millions of dollars in a law suit and we still won't have a suitable prison. I had hoped a decision would have been made at our last meeting, March 3, but that did not happen so we will have to wait until our next meeting on April 7. We need your input and your prayers.
    We had another meeting on March 4 that impacts many of our needy citizens but I will have to save that for another time as this article is running too long. In the space left, let’s "THINK ABOUT IT" the initiative to cut state income tax by 50 percent. The last LR (Legislative Report) compared only those tax returns filed as single individuals. Now let’s compare those who are married and are filing a joint return. Those making less than $50,000, 56.4 percent of those filing, will average $516 reduction in taxes for a total of $18,715,320. Those making $500,000, 1.5 percent of those filing, will average $15,317 reduction in taxes for a total of $29,776,248. You do the calculations and "THINK ABOUT IT."
    I will attempt to get you more information on my proposed reduction in property tax in my next report. Your District 24 legislators, Senator Larry, Representative Phil and I send our very best and may the Good Lord take a lik’n to ya.

Contact Ralph Metcalf at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or via phone at (701) 845-2615.