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How South Dakota collects and spends money should reflect its citizens’ shared values — a consensus about needed public services in South Dakota and how they should be financed. For many taxpayers, though, the state budget process is confusing. Further, they are not aware of opportunities to take part in the discussion.
The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and the South Dakota League of Women Voters are co-hosting South Dakotans Talking discussions Monday, Dec. 12 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with a repeat session from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Siouxland Library Main Branch, Meeting Room A & B. The public is invited to take part in non-partisan budget discussions, learn about state budget basics, and begin a consensus-building discussion. Local legislators have also been invited to attend as distinguished listeners.
Topics will include the following:
• Transparency of budget process,
• Opportunities for citizen input to budget process,
• Revenue adequacy (are there funds enough to provide basic services?),
• Revenue fairness (are taxpayers in similar situations paying equal taxes?),
• K-12 services and spending,
• Medicaid services and spending (human services, health care, long-term care), and
• Additional topics of local concern.
The public is invited. A free meal will be served; RSVP by Dec. 9 to Carmel at (605) 274-1329 or carmel.nelson@achievesd.org.
South Dakotans Talking ― A community discussion on South Dakotas’ budget choices is facilitated by SDSU Extension Community Development and South Dakota Budget & Policy Project, with funding from the Bush Foundation and Northwest Area Foundation.
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