BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Before North Dakota's treasury was overflowing with billions of dollars in oil revenues, state lawmakers in the ultra-conservative state were notoriously stingy with spending taxpayer money.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner says lawmakers used to be tightfisted because there wasn't much money to go around.
That's been a hard argument to make with the explosion of oil development.
North Dakota lawmakers have increasingly shown an eagerness to spend the extra money on projects that likely would have never seen daylight in leaner times, including buying a boat marina and the boyhood home of famous band leader Lawrence Welk.
Wardner says slipping oil prices may stop the pork-like spending when the Legislature begins its new session Tuesday.