Revenue to the state of South Dakota was down by $33 million in the first three months of this fiscal year, Gov. Mike Rounds said Monday, setting the stage for a painful legislative session next year.
At the same time, thousands of people have been added to the Medicaid entitlement program, which pays some medical expenses for the poor. The 6,400 people who have qualified for the state/federal program since August of last year could represent another $40 million to $50 million in expenses, creating a “huge budget problem,” Rounds said.
Yes, blame the poor for all of our problems, nevermind the rich in the state don’t pay their fair share of taxes or that we handout no bid contracts like candy.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom. Business optimism is on the rebound, and unemployment in South Dakota remains low compared with the national average.
Yet we have the highest number of working moms and the lowest hourly pay of any state in the nation. Unemployment may be low, but underemployment is high.
Heidepriem said he opposes any increases.
“For my part, I don’t think you can tax yourself out of a recession,” he said.
And imagine that, it is the democrat who is the fiscal conservative in all this.