Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News

Growth is long-term

Dec 31, 2007 - 04:05:15 CST

North Dakota's population grew by 2,255 people during the past year.

That's good.

That's the equivalent of adding a good-sized town to the state map.

We North Dakotans have begun to obsess about the state's population and growing it. But these yearly estimates, while interesting and generally noteworthy, are single frames from a full-length movie. Population shifts, up or down, take time, unless you're talking Irish potato famine or Oklahoma land rush. Changes are slow, nearly glacial. We are in for the long haul.

It's good to keep in mind that an increasing population base isn't an end in itself. Rather, a good quality of life and rewarding jobs with a decent pay are.

And it does matter where those 2,255 people were added - in the state's smaller communities or its larger cities.

Local and state governments have made significant investments toward bringing robust health to North Dakota's economy. It can be seen in Centers of Excellence, Renaissance zones, development associations, tax increment financing, workforce training and a host of programs and grants all aimed at giving business a leg up or even a competitive advantage. It's a private-public adventure with the perceived best interests of the state at heart.

The increase in population during 2007 suggests that these programs are, at least in part, working. It suggests the outward migration of North Dakotans may have been slowed.

But it also suggests the state is changing. What we need to be concerned about, as we add population, is that the quality of life that we have enjoyed so much continues. We have to be concerned that the changes ahead do not diminish what we cherish about the state. And it's important that we not unduly romanticize the past.

None of this stuff is easy.

Meanwhile, Tuesday will be a new year. North Dakota has much good to build upon in 2008. She has 2,255 new citizens to acclimatize. And, she has 637,460 other residents that appear willing to push for a better future.

Please, this evening offer a heart-felt toast to all North Dakotans, those fortunate enough to be living in the state and all those who for whatever reason have left.

Cheers!

News > Opinion

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Comments

ex wrote on Jan 1, 2008 10:51 AM:

" To: NatlGeographicHA!:
I thought I would be the last person to defend any article in the liberal mainstream, but in this case their observations and comments by older ND were interesting to say the least. When I lived and taught in ND, most people were able to read an article and didn’t just look at photos to get their facts. One can not deny the fact that the population of ND has not shown much growth for the past 30 years. When I travel to ND and look out across the prairies along I-94 and I-29, I see many lonely, abandoned farms & churches. If ND had provided occupational opportunities as excellent as the educational opportunities, more young people would have remained. Even now when I meet someone who is from ND, I feel a kindred spirit, knowing they have a strong work ethic and good traditional values.
"

true wrote on Jan 1, 2008 12:45 AM:

" True, but long term growth should not be confused with short-term profit. "

Mary P wrote on Dec 31, 2007 12:09 PM:

" dw; the high paying jobs being created in ND are the Oil&Gas industry jobs...so there are good paying jobs out there if you want them. But, most can't handle that type of work. I think they will find that most of the population growth will have taken place in the western part of the state when the 2010 census is taken. I don't believe the estimates they have put out. I think they are low estimates. Has anyone been to Williston-Dickinson areas lately? I would guess by seeing the growth in those 2 towns, they each have grown at least a couple thousand people alone over the past few years. "

NatlGeographicHA! wrote on Dec 31, 2007 12:05 PM:

" That areticle in National Geographic is the exact same article the New York Times put out a few years back. Same old same old. Pictures of prairie trails leading to old abandoned farmsteads, windmills falling down in the wind, fields overgrown with weeds, etc...etc... Gloom and Doom! This is all the news media found ind ND? NO...this is WHAT the news media wanted to find and publish. I had to laugh when I saw Belfield, ND (the picture was of an old prairie trail to an old farmstead)...ahhhhh...the last I saw, Belfield sits along I-94 and the offramp bussles with motels, truck stops and resturaunts. Also, up north by Epping, ND...the old 2 story house falling down. This is all they saw up there? Epping is a few miles from Williston, which is going through a huge oil boom. Epping is surrounded by active farms, with modern homes and barns surrounded by nice tree rows...and YES...they do have 2lane and 4 lane paved highways in that part of the state...why didn't the National Geographic and New York Times show THOSE farmsteads instead? BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL A STORY. "

dw wrote on Dec 31, 2007 11:07 AM:

" too bad the pay scale is so low~ people may come but won;t be able to afford to stay in ND! the politicans have learned how to match the taxes from the big states here in ND! a total ripoff "

kw wrote on Dec 31, 2007 10:55 AM:

" I agree with nd coalmn~ DON"T MISS THE SECOND CHANCE! Too many stupid decisions made by politicans who are getting to be fat cats and no benefit to the people of NDim8j9 "

ndcoalmn wrote on Dec 31, 2007 10:21 AM:

" If you think 2,255 people is progress, read The Emptied Prairie article in the January 2008 National Geographic Magazine. It causes one to wonder what North Dakota might be today if just a few politicians would have had a vision beyond the agricultural influence and dominance. Instead many young people left the state for opportunities in those evil corporations. Hopefully, ND won't miss the 2nd chance being provided by energy development. But once again your newspaper contains numerous articles about those who oppose energy development and want things left as they have been for years. Where there is no vision . . . "

Good News wrote on Dec 31, 2007 9:43 AM:

" This is good news for the State of ND. The 2,255 migration is much better than in past years where outmigration saw the decline in our population. I have read in recent articles of people returning to our state because of its values in raising a family and that seems to be a pretty good reason to do. "

The Big D wrote on Dec 31, 2007 8:47 AM:

" Well there is a first for everything. You would have to be blind not see that increased population was in Bismarck and Fargo. Like myself and many former North Dakotans we might have stayed if the jobs would have paid more than 25k a year. "

Mike wrote on Dec 31, 2007 7:41 AM:

" This article makes it sound like a miracle that ND is growing. Have you been to other cities in this country lately? They are getting so big and the quality of life is getting so bad that people are comming to ND just to get away from that mess. If you haven't noticed the more Bismarck grows the more our quality of life has diminished. Crime up, street congestion up, and inadequate school space for our children. The United States population is growing and ND will grow with it even if we don't have these so called centers of excellence and development associations. In my opinion growth is not good for ND! "

Pfft. wrote on Dec 31, 2007 7:03 AM:

" All this fuss and rhetoric over 2,255 people? More Mexicans jump the border every five minutes in Arizona, California or Texas. I think I'm going to have to rethink the amount of local news I read, as it if obviously blown out of proportion with reality. "

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