South Dakota Democratic Party Chairman Ben Nesselhuf released the following statement after the US House of Representatives passed the GOP Payroll tax cut extension with other controversial provisions on a nearly party line vote:

“Congresswoman Kristi Noem and Washington Republicans are playing politics with South Dakota pocket books. Stopping a tax increase on middle class families is not controversial. It shouldn’t require controversial provisions to pass Republican muster. It’s time Noem and Washington Republicans quit holding South Dakotans hostage for ideological gain. “

The Senate has already indicated it will not consider the other controversial elements of the payroll tax cut extension brokered between Republicans in the US House of Representatives. Failure to extend the payroll tax cut will add $1000 in higher taxes for 500,000 South Dakotans, sacrifice up to one million jobs nationwide, and risk triggering another economic recession, according to Mark Zandi, chief econoimst at Moody’s Analytics and former advisor to John McCain’s 2008 campaign for President.

For more information, please contact Ben Nesselhuf at 605-271-5405 or ben@sddp.org