I found these fun facts from the Heidi Scott campaign interesting;
“Today the Governor announced a record state budget deficit.  He blamed the national economic recession of the past year.  Yet, this budget marks the seventh of eight budgets he has submitted that spent more than the state collects in revenues.  In these eight years, state government has grown at a staggering pace, spending is out of control and governmental accountability is at an all time low,†Heidepriem said.
“Yet to solve this out of control problem, the Governor proposes to balance the budget by raiding relief funds, wasting stimulus dollars, raising taxes and balancing the budget on the backs of our children by making cuts in education. Where is the responsibility?  Where is the accountability?  This is wrong and South Dakotans should be outraged,†Heidepriem said.
“The Governor should do the responsible thing and slash his massive budgets of all fat, reign in all spending, cut unneeded state employees, cap spending, and open all of our state’s 1800 contracts to open bidding. To paper over these structural problems by first using relief funds or one time money is irresponsible and does nothing to solve the culture of bloat and waste in Pierre. South Dakota deserves better and South Dakotans should demand better,†Heidepriem said.
Yet we continue to elect these ‘supposed’ Conservative Republicans. They ARE NOT fiscal conservatives. They ARE NOT moral or ethical conservatives. They really are not conservatives in the true sense of the word. They are big government, greedy, Republicans, a trend that started with Reagan and perfected by GW Dush.
And Bob Mercer sums up Rounds’ administration (H/T -DWC)
Rounds is term-limited and the 2010 legislative session will be his eighth and presumably last, a situation that will only further embolden legislators and further undermine his relevancy.
Seven years of little innovation, no new efficiencies or savings of any significance, an emphasis on protecting his hometown’s economy, and showing minimal backbone on spending — he complained but still signed the budgets into law when the Legislature spent more than legally required on public schools, for example– are coming home to roost.