It’s simple and true: South Dakota cannot afford Governor Daugaard and his corporate slush fund. That’s why a coalition of concerned citizens is referring HB 1230 to a vote of the people in the 2012 general election.
HB 1230 allows the governor to take 22% of the contractor’s excise tax, which normally goes to fund education, health care, and other essential government initiatives, and uses it to pay a subsidy for large corporate projects. Let’s face facts – Daugaard isn’t exactly known for transparency.
So instead of making education a priority, Daugaard and the Republican controlled Legislature rob $16 million to $20 million a year – with the potential to take more than $300 million over 15 years – from funds for education and healthcare, at a time when we are struggling to keep teachers in our classrooms and trying to keep nursing homes from closing because of Rounds’ and Daugaard’s budget mistakes.
As school districts across the state increase class sizes, lay off teachers, rob maintenance funds, and raise local property taxes, it appears Republicans in Pierre think corporations are more deserving than our children. We say: “Think again.”
As Democrats, we know that education is the best form of economic development. We know that cutting funding for education in order to bankroll the governor’s slush fund will neither train our workers nor attract new businesses to South Dakota.
That’s why we are standing up to the Governor’s money-grab by referring HB 1230 to a vote. With a goal of more than 25,000 signatures before June 27, 2011, we can save education for our children and health care for our most vulnerable.
But we can’t do it without you.
Stand Up For South Dakota. Help Gather Signatures Today!
The Governor thinks he has won this fight. Stand up for our future, and join us as we tell the Governor: “This fight has just begun.”