North Dakota's moment to shine

Stories keep popping up about North Dakota's relative reprieve from the economic crisis. When will all this good news actually convince people to move there?

One bright spot in the bleak state picture is North Dakota, which has not had to cut budgets because of 20 percent growth in the past year and $1.2 billion in reserves. That has come with lots of planning over the past 10 years, including a diversification of the state economy from primarily agriculture into energy and manufacturing, according to Pam Sharp, director of the state office of management and budget.

She says North Dakota’s basic conservatism helped it avoid the foreclosure crisis because very few homes were purchased with subprime loans. Also, about a decade ago, North Dakota began significant investments in “centers of excellence” – partnerships between state universities and the private sector, to help grow the economy.

“We’ve got a very conservative population and state officials who really think things through carefully,” says Ms. Sharp.

Christian Science Monitor: Economy may be rebounding, but state budgets are still hurting