Lots of tax talk on the horizon.
From the Rapid City Journal:
“No new taxes” has reappeared on South Dakota’s political horizon.
South Dakota District 30 Rep. Mike Verchio talked to constituents at a town hall meeting Monday night about their feelings about proposed taxes and fees for the coming legislative session.
In the last session, when Gov. Mike Rounds talked about a $38 million deficit for the state, Verchio figured the state was down $180 million.
“It’s getting worse and worse every month. We’re in big, big trouble,” he said.
South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds said Monday he won’t seek a tax increase to fix state budget problems that are expected to get much worse in the next two years.
Any tax plan likely would not get the required two-thirds vote from the Legislature, so the budget will have to be balanced with substantial spending cuts that can be made with simple majority votes, Rounds said.
“So the only thing we can do is make reductions in expenses at this time. That’s kind of the direction we’re going,” Rounds told The Associated Press.
“As we work through the budget, everything is on the table,” he said.
And locally, I heard that last night my local Democratic legislator was talking to the school board about raising taxes.
Tax talk is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. The problem is, as the Governor has correctly assessed – no one will have any of it. Legislators will introduce tax increases at their peril this next session. The only potential problem with the Governor’s approach will be if they take the same shortsighted view that they did last session, where they cherry picked programs instead of spreading the pain equally through an across the board cut.
Any thoughts on what will and won’t be introduced this next session?
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Comments
I think the proper word is Cut! It is time to quit expanding government and start cutting. The first to go are nonessential items.
More office buildings for State employees, is not essential! Art was here before governments!
I think everyone in the SD Government need to step and take a big old bite of that “shit sandwich” (sorry about the language) and take a pay cut and or a reduction in the staffing, equipment, facilities, research, etc. Its obvious that John Q. Public is making some sacrifices in this crappy economy, so lets all share in the burden. Even the South Dakota Retirement Fund understands downsizing and reduction. How come the State of South Dakota can’t understand that we need to reduce and tighten our belts. The other part to the equation is that if they do raise the taxes, then wouldn’t ever reduce them when the economy turns around, so that’s why I’m totally against the raising taxes. Remember who is wagging the dogs tail, is it the people of South Dakota or is it the government.
SDMike
To those who think state employees should “take a big old bite of the shit sandwich” – what do you think we have been doing for the past 10 years. We continue to do more and more with less and less. For salaried employees, we often work 50+ hours a week and can’t tell you the last time many of us truly had a day off (even on annual leave days I am constantly checking and responding to emails).
I wish I understood where the perception that state employees don’t earn their pay came from because most that I know are worth far more than the salaries they receive.
Mr. Aberdeen, if art was here before governments doesn’t that prove that art doesn’t need government funding? I say: cut the arts first, and move on from there.
State Anony 7:53, there is probably not a month of my adult life I have not worked 50+ hours. I do so by choice. You do so by choice. Not your choice? Pack your bags and give it up for the next guy in line. This has nothing to do with you not earning your salary. This has everything to do with all sharing the burden of an economy about to collapse if we are not already bankrupt. This well has a limit!
7:53If you are wroth more then you should leave your job and go to the other. I think the heads of state goverment are the ones that are way over paid.
Smilin Mike is trying to help Dennis get out of the primary, so he is literally passing the tax buck and talk thereof, to the legislature so he and Dennis can claim to have clean hands. The cuts will come in a manner and areas that are more palatable to R’s than D’s for the same reason – primary votes. Most activity this session will be very political with Mike trying to prop Dennis up so his admin can retain control, and Knudson and Scott H. trying to loosen the bolts on Rounds machine. Scott H. will propably have more options at his disposal, because he doesn’t have a primary and Knudson will have difficulty getting tough with nice-guy Dennis. Heide’s challenge will be convincing moderate R’s on the fence his pasture is greener – which means he’ll essentially be campaigning in he R primary even though he’s not on the ballot. It will be interesting watching Mike tap dance through this mine field. We’ll get a better measure of his political skill and see if he’s still smiling on the other side.
p.s. Did I really just comment without one sacarstic swipe at anything? Probably should’ve thrown in a Sibson limerick at the end. Maybe next time.
State employees didn’t get a pay raise last year, and they aren’t this year either apparently. How about freezing teacher salaries also? And school administrators? And school building plans?
Anooner, you forgot to mention Scott Munsterman. I don’t think most Rs will end up going for either “Republican Dave” or Heide and Rounds is an anchor around Daugaard’s legs. That leaves Scott as the primary choice. Personally, I already think he’s the best choice, but I view Daugaard as his biggest challenge.
I stay in my job because I believe in what I am doing and I believe that I make a difference for the citizens of SD. Believe me, I am not in it for the money.
State Anon 7:53: I’ve typically started my day at 6:30AM and bust out of here at 6:00PM 5 days a week and sometime its back to work in the evenings and weekends. Then meetings over the weekends. I’ve taken phone calls while in the Rockies elk hunting, I’ve taken calls while fishing. I’m expected to do this, plus if I refused to do it, the owner of the company will find someone else to do. With the crappy economy this year I’ve taken over a 60% pay reduction in pay. Lost my 401K company contribution and I’m still working the same hours if not more, because I don’t want to be let go. So it really pisses me off when a government servent complains he didn’t get a payraise for two years. Additionally I know alot other people in the same boat as myself. In fact if your so mis-abused pick the phone up and visit with some of the people in Yankton. I’m sure some of those laid-off folks are more then willing to take your job at the pay your gettings, if you wanted to take their place in the unemployment line. What a SAP!!!
SDMike
PS: Its not earning your pay thats in questions, its the fricking economy and the additional taxes we are incuring so that you are nice and comfy.
I’m not complaining about the pay or the hours, but rather the fact that there seems to be this perception that state workers have it so easy through all of this. We have been biting the “shit sandwich” for years now and would just like a little acknowledgement that we have made sacrifices too rather than being put down all the time.
SDMike,
Cue the violins because that last comment was some serious whining! I don’t know how you have all this time to post on blogs what with all the hunting and fishing you seem to do.
I am not a state employee but I have several that are friends of mine and they put in just as many hours as you and more.
Are there some lazy employees in state government? You Bet, but don’t indict them all. I challenge you to look at the facts that state government wages are behind the comparable private sector positions, but they are mostly ok with that because of the job stability.
Just because their paycheck is funded by taxpayers doesn’t give you license to be such a jerk.
PS Those additional taxes you are referring to are because of the people standing in that unemployment line in Yankton, not state government employees.
Is Rounds trying to doom Daugaard?
Cause this would put Denny in a pickle!