(SOUTH DAKOTA BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION)- Republican legislative leaders say this session’s priorities are cutting taxes and funding vital infrastructure like water projects. Democratic leaders say at least a portion of the Republican caucus is more interested in social issues, such as the so-called “drag queen” bill, HB 1116, which passed the House yesterday (Feb. 15, 2023).
“That bill was ugly,” said Democratic Rep. Oren Lesmeister of Parade, the House Assistant Minority leader, in today’s (Feb. 16, 2023) Democratic news conference. “They are singling out one group of people. They should come out and just say they are racist because that’s what they’re becoming. I’ll say it, and I’m getting tired of it.”
Republican Rep. Will Mortensen, the House Majority Leader from Pierre, took offense when told about Lesmeister’s comment. “The insinuation that there is anything racist in here is just hogwash,” he said. “I was appreciative of the comments in a pretty robust debate yesterday in there.”
Mortenson said bills like HB 1116, which he says is not focused on “drag queen” shows, are not the Republican caucus’s top priority. He says the top issues for the Republicans are “taking care of the fiscal health of this state, setting us up for continued prosperity and growth.”
Lesmeister sees it differently. “So they’re (Republicans) for the people they claim. No, they’re not here for all the people. They’re just here for some people.”
Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba, the Senate Minority Leader from Sioux Falls, says the 11-member Democratic caucus is “trying to focus on bills that make government work better, that address workforce issues, and improve the lives of South Dakota families.
Mortensen said the social issues bills are few, but the state’s news media focuses on them. “So you all get to choose what you write about. And my members get to choose what they put in bills about.” He said, for example, one of the essential things the Republican caucus is focused on is how to deal with projected sales tax growth of $87 million–over twice what Gov. Kristi Noem expected in December 2022.
That growth could mean food and general sales tax cuts and property tax reductions.
“Each of them has a lot of merits, but combined, they would be a $350 million tax cut,” Mortenson said. “We couldn’t afford all three of them. So, we’re going to have some hard decisions to make next week.”
Republican Sen. Helen Duhamel of Rapid City, the Senate Majority Whip, says there’s also an historic opportunity to fund water projects to help the entire state.
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