Greetings to everyone from District 20, As we move toward the end of this year’s legislative session, we are dealing with several of the biggest challenges we face for the future of our state. In our appropriations room we are closing in on reaching a balanced budget for the ongoing costs of our state (the G bill).Some of these decisions will be hard on people and programs in our state. Please remember that our constitution mandates that we pay our bills and balance a budget. On the supplemental bill (One time Investments), not all good causes are going to be supported. The services that are a compromise between the House, the Senate, and the Appropriation committees. Seldom is there enough money to support all the items on the list and this year is certainly no exception to that circumstance. The prison is older than our state and needs to be replaced. There was not enough support for the current plan to move forward. Spending requires a twothirds vote and I don’t think either the House or the Senate could have achieved that level of support. It is my hope that the Gov.’s new task force will provide a plan that will serve the people of South Dakota that is both affordable and provide a better way forward for those who are incarcerated and their families. The future of agriculture, eminent domain, property rights, global warming, CO2 pipelines, corn prices, ethanol plants, and energy production are all parts of several bills that are still ahead of us. Unfortunately, everyone thinks they are right on these issues. As we consider a way forward, I think reading John 8:1-11 would be wise.
I think the answers to some of our frustrations will come from the PUC, lawsuits that are pending in other states, or the Federal government. Instead of fighting, I think we should focus on respect on what we have in common, on safety, on fair compensation, and a better way forward for all of South Dakota. Keep smiling and encourage one another!