Daugaard to tour state to pitch budget proposal

PIERRE — Gov. Dennis Daugaard will tour the state to discuss his Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal.

Daugaard will begin his meetings today and they will continue through Wednesday. He will speak to the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce at 4 p.m. Monday. The invitation-only meeting will be held at the Highland Conference Center.

The governor has asked the state Legislature to balance the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 by ensuring that ongoing state spending does not exceed ongoing state revenues. To do so, it is necessary to make substantial reductions in state government spending.

“Although the South Dakota budget is in better shape than that of nearly any other state in the nation, we must not spend more money than we receive,” Daugaard said. “Taxpayers expect us to always be frugal with their money, and I am asking the Legislature to honor those wishes. “We must pass a budget that hits the reset button and puts us on a sustainable financial path — without raising taxes.

Here is Daugaard’s schedule:

Today:

Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, 7 a.m. Watertown Rotary Club, 12:15 p.m.

Monday:

Yankton Chamber of Commerce, 7 a.m. Sioux Falls Rotary Club, noon Mitchell Chamber of Commerce, 4 p.m.

Tuesday:

Rapid City Rotary Club, 7 a.m. MST Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, noon Spearfish Chamber of Commerce, 4 p.m.

Wednesday:

Huron Chamber of Commerce, 7 a.m. CST Brookings Chamber of Commerce, noon

From an Office of the Governor news release.

Tags: budget address, dennis daugaard, news, state