Republican Legislators lay out their budget strategy
Air Date:01/15/2010
By Jackelyn Severin
South Dakota republican lawmakers have outlined their proposals for balancing the budget. Majority leaders say the legislature should take a two year approach by passing a budget for 2011 that has no deficit spending. They say this will reduce the over 100 million budget shortfall in 2012 by roughly one-third.
Senate Majority Leader, Dave Knudson, says the best way to reduce this year’s budget is through specific program cuts. He says this will insure cuts won’t significantly impact essential services.
Knudson says, "The appropriations committee is just starting its process and they will be taking an intense look, along with the legislature as a whole, at each and every program South Dakota has looking for, looking to determine whether these programs still meet our states needs and priorities and whether the budgets support the priorities of each department."
Knudson says republicans will not propose new taxes for this session. He says the republican caucus does not agree with Governor Rounds' proposal to freeze mill levies because it would place more burden on property taxes for education funding.
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