Governor Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Let’s Talk about the “Big Three”

@SoDakCampaigns

Let’s Talk about the “Big Three”
By: Governor Kristi Noem
December 8, 2023

I recently presented my budget to the South Dakota State Legislature. It’s a budget that prioritizes people, not programs. It shows what can be done with smart, conservative fiscal policies. And it focuses on the core responsibilities of state government.

South Dakota has reaped the benefits of conservative policies. Our economy has continued to grow, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t felt the effects of the record-high inflation brought on by federal policies. This year, as we face a more “normal” budget year, I am encouraging the legislature to do exactly what families across America are doing every single day – stick to a tight budget.

National inflation has continued to rise over the past year. State law requires that we increase funding to our K-12 schools at inflation or 3%, whichever is lower. We typically provide the same increase to our healthcare providers and state employees – together, they make the “Big Three.” Well, this year, I am recommending that we go above and beyond the legal requirement. I am proposing that we provide a 4% increase for education, healthcare providers, and state employees.

We are only going to be able to accomplish this increase if we make sure we have our priorities straight. Well, I know where my priorities lie – and it’s with the people of South Dakota.

There’s a reason why the “Big Three” is the “Big Three.” They are the ones who give back to our communities across the state. They are the ones putting in the hard work to make our state the best that it can be. And they are the ones that are creating a better South Dakota for our kids and our grandkids.

By investing 4% in our schools, we will give our school districts the money to pay teachers more. Our teachers are one of the most important factors to set our kids up for a lifetime of success. And we can retain great teachers by paying them what they deserve.

If we want to give our kids the very best opportunity to succeed, we need to set them up for a healthy future.

The 4% increase for our providers is an important step to promote good health for South Dakotans at every age and state of life. This is an increase that doesn’t pick winner and losers. Inflation is impacting all of our providers, so we should provide them all with the relief they so desperately need.

Some of our kids will want to join careers in our state workforce. We need to support our state employees who do so much for the people of South Dakota. They work every day to make this state safer, stronger, and healthier. My budget proposal gives a 4% raise to state employees so that we can continue to attract and retain the best and brightest.

We have the opportunity to show the world what is possible with good, conservative policies – policies that prioritize our kids and our grandkids.

I do not go to work every day for myself. I go to work to serve the people that make this state great. They inspire me. And I pray that we deliver a budget that they can be proud of – a budget that puts them first.

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11 thoughts on “Governor Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Let’s Talk about the “Big Three””

  1. “I do not go to work every day for myself. I go to work to serve the people that make this state great.”

    Please. I’m by most standards an old man and have not witnessed before in this state a chief executive so consumed with self. Janklow was a strong personality; at the end no one doubts he did what he thought was best for the greater good. Right or wrong.

    Noem is playing a different game. It’s about her. Her exposure. Her advancement. Maybe she thinks it brings the state along with her? There is no agenda other than recognition for her. Not South Dakota.

    Thankfully this will be over soon.

      1. Revisionist history. Daugaard loved to paste himself on plenty of SD marketing materials. He was all over his stuff trying to lure MN citizens to SD. Noem is just doing it in 50 states because it’s ten years later and she’s ten times better known. Daugaard did the exact same thing.

  2. What?

    “National inflation has continued to rise over the past year.” Governor Kristi Noem

    If by “rise”, she means “drop”… then she is absolutely correct.

    Inflation was certainly high for a time. But the inflation RATE is down from 9.1 percent in June of 2022 – to 3.2 percent now. She knows this. She cleverly left out the word “rate” for a reason. She knows that she’s deceiving you.

  3. Yes, the inflation RATE is down, but year-over-year inflation only looks back one year, even though inflation has been persistently high for the last two years.

    Overall, prices are some 13% higher than they were two years ago and wages have not kept up with the rapid rate of inflation.

    And, it’s obvious “Elk” knows that he’s deceiving you.

    1. “Inflation” is down… way down… from a year ago. Don’t tell people it’s rising when you know better.

      We are all painfully aware that prices are higher than they were.

    2. Don’t confuse elk with facts. He can’t think beyond the prescribed liberal talking points. I’m just curious what kind of BS he going to gift us with when he repeats the talking points to excuse his idols son on the felony indictments.

      1. Why does it matter that we acknowledge when inflation is lowering?

        Well, because it’s the truth. And, to budget properly, you have to know what the trends are. Also, we want to avoid depressing the economy with negative talk that’s not true. It’s really good news. Because of it, interest rates may soon drop back down.

        There’s plenty of other things to criticize Joe Biden about and they… are true.

        1. US core inflation rose last month, bolstering arguments by the US Federal Reserve that interest rates may need to remain on hold for months to come.

          Prices across the services sector rose 0.44 per cent in November once housing, energy and food were factored out.

          “Policymakers are likely to retain a hawkish bias given prices continue to rise at an uncomfortably fast pace, and Fed officials are sensitive to upside risks to inflation,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics, a consultancy.
          https://www.ft.com/content/51111dac-7084-4a02-9c6f-334bb86f2d3f

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