Grand Forks Economy

[Cratter]

Farmers are excited about a potential new market for their corn.

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, Sioux>Bison said:

https://www.ndenergy.org/Issues/Natural-Gas-Pipeline-to-the-East
 

so we are paying a company to develop the project, if it was such a big profit potential there would be no government incentives needed. It’s free money from the Federal government, but not really free because this money may be wasted and just added to the national debt……

The governor had a pretty good answer in your link:

Quote

Gov. Doug Burgum said additional gas takeaway capacity will be needed soon or oil producers will be forced to constrain production to avoid flaring the associated natural gas.

"Why is this so important to this assembly into the taxpayers that you represent? Because the oil accounts for over half of our state's tax collections, and without enough take away capacity, or productive in state uses for our abundant natural gas," Burgum said. "The rising ratio of natural gas will place a ceiling on our state's oil production, and we will see lower state revenues."

 

[Sioux>Bison]

2 hours ago, Cratter said:

The governor had a pretty good answer in your link:

 

I get it will be needed eventually to keep up with production, but we should let private enterprise propose/ fund it on their own. The government does not need to be involved in anything but regulatory approvals. If it is not economical to build it without the state’s money then maybe it should not be built!

[Sioux>Bison]

4 hours ago, Nodak78 said:

I believe this was covid money and at the point use or lose it.  

You know where the Covid money came from right? Thin air (national debt). As a federal tax payer this money is better off not spent especially for a project that has nothing to do with Covid!

[gfNDfan]

3 hours ago, Cratter said:

Greater than $0.

The amount city would collect if they didn't come.

And thousands in taxes by the employees from day one..

Not to mention it will cost the Fufeng Company at least $750 million dollars to build their initial phase of the project -the total project is closer to 1 BILLION DOLLARS.  They pay that - using local contractors and businesses before they even OPEN for business.   That is a GIGANTIC economic impact GF needs!  The city and state will help with infrastructure.  My point is this investment is worth the payoff down the road BEFORE they hire employee #1.  This is an economic development opportunity that comes around very VERY rarely.

I live on the Northend and had a guy wearing a Strata jacket knock on my door asking me to sign the petition.  I declined saying I supported the project.  He was polite but I wondered what his company would think about him wearing a company jacket - a company that would profit BIGLY from this project most likely - to gain petition signatures against it?  I wondered what his big boss at Strata would think about that but I didn't ask.

Last but not least is if you have a problem that this is a "Chinese Communist Company trying to spy on the GFAFB" we already have a chinese owned company building airplanes/parts (Cirrus) in our industrial park and if you want to call your neighbors to check - throw away your chinese built cell phone you use (Apple and Android) for everything everyday.   I would hate to think this comes down to just racism but I think for some it does.  I'm not accusing anyone - you know in your heart why you are for or against this project. 

 

[The Sicatoka]

15 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

The state has already allocated $150 million for the pipeline, with plans to give another $150 million in 2023, so it sounds like that part is happening.

Given the nat-gas fiasco (pipeline problem) a couple years back where they were asking people to limit use and let their homes cool off, another supply line is sound planning and could end up being good business. 

[Cratter]

9 hours ago, Sioux>Bison said:

I get it will be needed eventually to keep up with production, but we should let private enterprise propose/ fund it on their own. The government does not need to be involved in anything but regulatory approvals. If it is not economical to build it without the state’s money then maybe it should not be built!

It's OK for the government to do stuff.

To help advance society.

"Why didn't a private company build roads."

Here's a little known secret: The government even helped pay to spread electricity! 

[ChrisUND1]

Is there a petition to get rid of Simplot and/or Crystal Sugar?  Anyone who has lived in Grand Forks knows that smell. 

Sounds like if Fufeng was named Ole Olafson's Corn Co. or something similar it wouldn't have any issues in GF.  

[The Sicatoka]

26 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Here's a little known secret: The government even helped pay to spread electricity! 

REAlly? 

Who knew? 

 

[The Sicatoka]

34 minutes ago, ChrisUND1 said:

Is there a petition to get rid of Simplot and/or Crystal Sugar?  Anyone who has lived in Grand Forks knows that smell. 

To those who think and understand, that's the smell of money in the community. 

 

PS - In Fargo, "that smell" is the city dump. Someone misplanned that location. 

[UNDBIZ]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/fufeng-group-gets-a-big-city-hall-win-and-looks-poised-to-break-ground

Quote

The city’s side of the deal represents about $96.5 million in spending, which spans engineering and construction and more as the city prepares to link the plant to its infrastructure grid — a major undertaking that will mean road improvements and massive water infrastructure upgrades. City Hall has pointed out that roughly $41 million will be paid for by state loans, COVID funds, special assessments and more; the remaining $55 million would be recouped over decades of utility costs to Fufeng Group, city leaders say.

No mention of who repays the state loans, but it looks like most of the infrastructure costs will not be paid by the local government at least.  If other local businesses/individuals are hit by the special assessments (and I assume they are), I can understand them being very upset about the project.

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/petitioners-mount-effort-to-force-citywide-vote-on-fufeng-group-plant

Quote

In all, those tax breaks will discount taxes 90% on the new construction during the first 10 years, then 75% in the following 10.

I support some limited property tax breaks, but 20 years of +75%, to me, is excessive.  With that said, this project should greatly benefit Grand Forks and the state.

[ChrisUND1]

20 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

To those who think and understand, that's the smell of money in the community. 

 

PS - In Fargo, "that smell" is the city dump. Someone misplanned 

Not worth it.

[Cratter]

27 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

REAlly? 

Who knew? 

 

I would also like to thank the government for helping my rural home get internet.

Should be finally be all hooked up and finished in a month or two.

[Nodak78]

11 hours ago, Sioux>Bison said:

You know where the Covid money came from right? Thin air (national debt). As a federal tax payer this money is better off not spent especially for a project that has nothing to do with Covid!

Yes I know.  Use it or lose it makes it taste less bad if it benefits ND.

[gfhockey]

2 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/fufeng-group-gets-a-big-city-hall-win-and-looks-poised-to-break-ground

No mention of who repays the state loans, but it looks like most of the infrastructure costs will not be paid by the local government at least.  If other local businesses/individuals are hit by the special assessments (and I assume they are), I can understand them being very upset about the project.

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/petitioners-mount-effort-to-force-citywide-vote-on-fufeng-group-plant

I support some limited property tax breaks, but 20 years of +75%, to me, is excessive.  With that said, this project should greatly benefit Grand Forks and the state.

You know what the property’s value was just reassessed at

 

zero

 

zikch

gonlook it yo

was valued last year

[Cratter]

23 hours ago, Cratter said:

Is it cause people don't like China?

Tax breaks? That's pretty much a guarantee for any new building or business in any city.

Infrastructure costs? Things that the city already needs or will eventually need.

Or is it just anti Bochenski people who will cry anytime he does something?

Guess I found the answer in the top left of their signs:

 

[Cratter]

[Cratter]

Some anti corn mill plant "protesters" have a few screws loose.

Quote

But the worries about China have been constant. Some residents have speculated the American subsidiary behind the plant will bring in hundreds of Chinese workers to run the facility. One woman, addressing a March 7 City Council meeting, declined to give her address out of apparent fear that a communist fifth column might kill her.

“You people want to bring communist China to Grand Forks,” she told council members. “They kill people in communist China who say where they live, who do anything the state doesn’t want. And I don’t want to be killed. So you people are scaring the heck out of me.”

 

[gfNDfan]

14 hours ago, Cratter said:

Some anti corn mill plant "protesters" have a few screws loose.

 

They make a clock for people like her.  It's embarrassing...

[SIOUXFAN97]

i like how the heraldo tried to tie this corn plant into asian hate...........

how are they still in business

[Smoggy]

Saw the signature collectors / flea market people were out at First Community Credit Union on 32nd. Is that banking business against having a big project come to town? Or did these people illegally set up shop?

 

[gfNDfan]

8 hours ago, Smoggy said:

Saw the signature collectors / flea market people were out at First Community Credit Union on 32nd. Is that banking business against having a big project come to town? Or did these people illegally set up shop?

 

I'm guessing the latter:-)

[NewUndFan]

On 3/20/2022 at 3:58 PM, Smoggy said:

Saw the signature collectors / flea market people were out at First Community Credit Union on 32nd. Is that banking business against having a big project come to town? Or did these people illegally set up shop?

 

Obviously the latter,  has nothing to do with the Credit Union

[NewUndFan]

Anyone know what is going into the old Gordmans space ?  

[tnt]

11 hours ago, NewUndFan said:

Anyone know what is going into the old Gordmans space ?  

There is a sign that says something to the effect of Target construction deliveries in the back, but I don't know if they are just using the space while they do the renovation to their store, or if they plan to expand into that space as well.