SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM HAS UNVEILED HER PROPOSED STATE BUDGET FOR THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND ALL OF FISCAL YEAR 2025.
NOEM SAYS HER BUDGET PRIORITIZES PEOPLE, NOT PROGRAMS:
SDBUDGET1 OC…..AND OUR GRANDKIDS. :23
NOEM, SPEAKING TO STATE LAWMAKERS AT THE CAPITOL BUILDING IN PIERRE, SAYS THIS WILL BE SOUTH DAKOTA’S 135TH YEAR OF DELIVERING A BALANCED BUDGET.
SDBUDGET2 OC…HAS FOUND EFFICIENCIES. :22
NOEM SAYS HER BUDGET WILL FOCUS ON SOUTH DAKOTA’S “BIG THREE,” SCHOOLS, STATE WORKERS, AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS:
SDBUDGET3 OC………STATE EMPLOYEES (SFX FADE) :21
THE GOVERNOR SAYS UNFORTUNATELY, TEACHER SALARIES HAVE NOT KEPT UP.
SINCE SHE TOOK OFFICE, AND WITH THIS 4% PROPOSAL, THEY WILL HAVE INCREASED STATE FUNDING FOR K-12 SCHOOLS BY 26.3%, BUT ACTUAL AVERAGE TEACHER SALARIES HAVE LAGGED FAR BEHIND.
NOEM SAYS SHE WILL WORK WITH HER SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO BRING IDEAS TO THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT HOW TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
SHE ALSO TALKED ABOUT MEDICAID EXPANSION, FUNDING STATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE TWO NEW STATE PRISONS BEING CONSTRUCTED.
Photo & audio courtesy SD.net
