Elected leaders in Montana and North Dakota say they hope to offer help to local governments struggling to provide public services in the booming Northern Plains oil patch.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple is proposing to change the formula for oil and gas tax distributions so local governments get 60 percent, up from the current 25 percent.
In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock is pushing $45 million in infrastructure investments to help cities and towns where basic services are strapped.
Tens of thousands of workers have been drawn to the region in recent years, increasing demands for services from roads to wastewater treatment. Prior efforts to put more money toward those needs failed or came up short.
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