The South Dakota Legislature session will begin on January 13, and Governor Larry Rhoden is holding firm on his priorities, including no raises for wide swaths of state employees.
On Wednesday, Rhoden said it’s time to get to work on passing a balanced budget and addressing property tax relief.
“We’ve introduced the bill to allow for individual counties to opt-in to a proposal for property tax relief,” the governor said.
Some lawmakers and lobbyists have balked at Rhoden's proposal to give zero percent raises to the so-called ‘Big 3,” of teachers, healthcare workers and state employees.
The South Dakota Legislature is controlled by Republican supermajorities.
*Additionally, the Nebraska Legislature gaveled in for the year on Wednesday, and school funding is always a prime issue.
Nebraska Department of Education Commissioner Brian Maher on Wednesday told Nebraska Public Media that he hopes to see “continued progress” by the School Financing Review Commission to look at the state’s current education funding system.
Governor Jim Pillen has called for the state to take over all school funding, instead of having some local funding. Maher said the commission will likely explore what that option could look like, along with seeing any recommendations that arise during the upcoming state legislative session.
