Budget Overview
Air Date:03/31/2010
By Jenifer Jones
After a long day of discussion Tuesday, the state legislature approved a $1.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2011. Earlier Tuesday Republican lawmakers reached a deal with Governor Mike Rounds. Rounds wanted to use reserve funds to balance the budget. Republicans wanted an across the board cut. Rounds encouraged lawmakers to make specific cuts.
Several education programs took a hit this legislative session. The 2011 budget includes a more than $1.3 million decrease to postsecondary vocational education, as well as a $4.2 million cut from the Board of Regents. The joint appropriations committee eliminated $300 thousand from the DDN program, and $270 thousand to the tech fellows program. Lawmakers also cut tobacco education by $1.5 million. In addition, the budget does not include a proposed $1.2 percent increase in state aid to education.
The state fair will have a smaller budget to work with, as lawmakers cut $100 thousand.
Medicaid is looking at a more than $4 million cut, because case loads are smaller than originally projected.
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