The Legislature’s Appropriations committee was told Thursday revenues are down.
Derek Johnson of the Bureau of Finance and Management says the budget assumed three-percent growth.
The farm economy is down sharply, as witnessed by decreased tax revenues from farm equipment sales.
All told, sales tax revenues this July were down 5.9-percent from July of 2023.
Governor Noem will present her budget to legislators next month.
Lawmakers have set aside about 600-million dollars for prison construction in recent years…and were told today it will take another 200-million to get the job done.
In the meantime, Corrections Secretary Kelly Wasko says the need for more prison space is growing.
Contractors gave a maximum guaranteed price of 825-million dollars for the new men’s prison proposed to be built between Harrisburg and Canton.
Roughly two-thirds of the construction work will be performed by South Dakota contractors
They appeared before the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee as the latest cost estimates came in.
Lawmakers have set aside about 600-million dollars for the facility in recent years, and were told it will probably take about 200-million more to build the facility.
Lincoln County resident Sarah Ulmer was among those questioning the proposed location.
Corrections Secretary Kelly Wasko says other sites and options have been considered…including construction at the current penitentiary site in Sioux Falls.