Sioux Falls, SD (July 18, 2011) – House Bill (HB) 1230 is now in the hands of South Dakota voters. The Secretary of State’s office confirmed that the petition drive yielded 2400 signatures more than required by state law.
“Today, the Secretary of State confirmed what we found gathering signatures across South Dakota: voters want to decide whether our tax dollars should stay in education, health care and other essential services that depend on the general fund, or be diverted to a new large project development fund,” says Ben Nesselhuf, Chairman of the South Dakota Democratic Party.
HB 1230, a Daugaard Administration initiative that would divert money from the state’s general fund to a large project development fund, will now be placed on the 2012 general election ballot.
Voters don’t want the governor to siphon our tax dollars from schools and nursing homes that depend on the general fund for a new large project fund, Nesselhuf contends. “HB 1230 pits funding for our children’s education against funding for economic development. The reality is, South Dakota needs both, and we can’t afford to sacrifice one at risk of accomplishing neither. We welcome the opportunity for voters decide this issue.”
Contact Chairman Ben Nesselhuf at 605-271-5405 or ben@sddp.org.
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Background:
Large Project Development Fund Unpopular
Public Policy Polling found that 62% of South Dakotans oppose the corporate give-away, while only 19% liked the idea. 18% were undecided. The poll questioned 1,667 voters between Feb. 25-27, 2011, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.4%.
Q: Governor Daugaard has proposed that the state take 22% of the contractor’s excise tax, which normally goes to fund health care and education, and use it to pay for a subsidy program to attract new large corporate projects. Do you support or oppose this proposal.
Support: ……………..19%
Oppose: ……………..62%
Not Sure:……………..18%
Margin of error: 2.4%