Taylor Calls for Debates & Help in Oil Country - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Taylor Calls for Debates & Help in Oil Country

The democratic candidate for governor says more needs to be done to address needs in oil country.

Ryan Taylor says farmers, ranchers, and school superintendents have all visited with him about concerns with growth.

Whether its schools, roads, housing, crime, or ag impacts, Taylor says more money needs to go back to the areas directly impacted.

Taylor says if he were governor he would have called a special session by now.

"We're gonna collect $1.6 billion dollars in oil extraction and production tax in North Dakota in 2012. But were also seeing that there are a lot of impacts with that, and we need a real honest analysis of what that impact costs. And can we do a better job of leaving money directly in those communities, because spending it later costs us much more than spending it up front," says Taylor.

Taylor says now, about 8% of oil tax dollars stay in communities directly impacted by oil development.

He says in Montana that number is 39%, and in Wyoming it's 35%.

Taylor also called on Governor Dalrymple to debate these and other issues at least seven times before the November election.