An enrollment increase in South Dakota’s public schools is expected to add to the state’s budget crunch in the upcoming year.
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard gave his annual budget address to lawmakers Tuesday and told them projected tax revenue for this budget year will leave them $20 million dollars short:
OC………this fiscal year. :16
Daugaard says the revenue shortfall and enrollment growth must be combined with emergency costs that will need to be covered.
He says unaddressed, that would leave South Dakota $34 million in the red this year:
OC……….general fund spending. ;16
The governor says he will not recommend inflationary increases for education, Medicaid providers or state employees.
He does propose the majority of new recurring revenue go to those three priority areas with the largest funding increase to K-12 education to cover next year’s higher enrollment.
For state employees he recommends a modest pay increase to keep some employee pay, which is already lower than market, from falling even further behind.
