Oh, yeah, and while y’all were out hoarding toilet paper, the Legislature passed a budget.
| Actual FY2018 | Actual FY 2019 | Budgeted FY 2020 | Requested FY 2021 | Gov’s Rec FY 2021 | Adopted HB 1294 | |
| General | $1,580,491,110 | $1,589,929,931 | $1,692,873,912 | $1,764,219,081 | $1,715,326,842 | $1,734,513,310 |
| Federal | $1,391,286,724 | $1,431,971,864 | $1,753,960,405 | $1,786,168,285 | $1,776,534,799 | $1,769,897,110 |
| Other | $1,251,046,507 | $1,291,713,959 | $1,414,769,049 | $1,425,050,415 | $1,428,389,790 | $1,419,515,498 |
| Total | $4,222,824,341 | $4,313,615,754 | $4,861,603,366 | $4,975,437,781 | $4,920,251,431 | $4,923,925,918 |
| FTE | 13292.2 | 13235.9 | 14039.2 | 14128.4 | 14070.6 | 14016.6 |
For the second year in a row, the federal government will spend more to support South Dakota’s public goods and services than we South Dakotans (and our visitors!) will contribute via sales tax, gambling, hooch and smokes, and other taxes. The federal portion of our Fiscal Year 2021 budget will be $1.770 billion, about $35 million more than our general fund. The “Other” bucket of state spending—Regental money, gas tax, GF&P, and a whole lot of other fiscal etcetarals—are expected to pump another $1.420 billion out of various pockets and into state services.
| increase over FY 2020 | increase over Noem recommendation | |
| General | 2.46% | 1.12% |
| Federal | 0.91% | -0.37% |
| Other | 0.34% | -0.62% |
| Total | 1.28% | 0.07% |
| FTE | -0.16% | -0.38% |
The Legislature’s swiftly passed general appropriations bill, House Bill 1294, spends $19.2 million more in general fund programs than Governor Kristi Noem asked for in December. The extra goes to the statutorily “required” 2.0% increase for K-12 funding, $3.5 million for all the extra cops Noem wants to sniff around our coming hemp crops, plus some bridges and campus buildings. However, HB 1294 anticipates $6.6 million less in federal help and $8.9 million less in other revenues. In the end, the Legislature is appropriating just $3.7 million more than the Governor proposed, an up-nudge of 0.07%. The Legislature also knocked the Governor’s requested state staffing down by 54 full-time equivalents. That’s Booker and 53 of his best friends who won’t be getting state jobs from Mom as graduation presents.
They better hold onto reserves because income will probably be down next year.
I am sure Mr. H was there to testify to the legislatures, but I, for one, am glad the Federal money pours in to help those who are need, indigent, or just too darned lazy to get out there and work harder.