The Joint Appropriations Committee of the South Dakota Legislature
decides to split the difference between budget projections offered by their
economists and those from the Governor’s office. The bottom line? There is about 10-million dollars less to spend in the 2016 budget and about seven-million less for the current cycle than earlier projected. State Economist Jim Terwilliger says the forecast is down primarily because sales tax collections took a hit from lower spending in the farm sector. Representative Dan Dryden of Rapid City chaired the revenue subcommittee that decided on the numbers…
Democratic Representative Ray Ring of Vermillion is a retired economics
professor. He says the numbers are too conservative and they’re basing too much on
the last few months…
Senator Larry Tidemann of Brookings says he was among those
who were too optimistic last year…
The committee passed both budget recommendations on 13-4 party line votes