Last updated on 2015.12.10
In his post-speech press conference yesterday, Governor Dennis Daugaard responded to the criticism he knew was coming that his proposed tax and fee increases for road repairs violate his 2010 election promise not to raise taxes. In responding to this criticism, Governor Daugaard reveals his confidence that the nation has fully emerged from the recession and will not go double-dip:
I'm not unwilling to ask for increases in revenue where I feel the need is genuine and concrete. In the case of the state highway system, I was unwilling to support a tax incrase the first term because, when I ran for re-election [sic] we were still wondering whether or not we would recover from the recession, and even though there were some indications that we were starting to emerge, there was also some concern about a double-dip recession. There was certainly not a strong rebound in the economy, so when I ran I promised to oppose tax increases. The worst time to raise taxes is when you are trying to recover from a recession. And I kept my promise. But when I ran for re-election this time I made it plain that one of the concerns I had was about funding adequacy for our roads and that everything was on the table, including taxes. So anybody that was paying attention to this issue should ahve been well aware that I was looking at taxes as a potential part of the solution [Governor Dennis Daugaard, press conference, recorded and posted by Todd Epp, Northern Plains News, 2015.01.13].
The need is concrete... oh, the subtle wit!
Governor Daugaard is thus affirming the success of the Obama recovery. Looks like Rep. Steve Hickey's Cassandrafication about a Long Economic Winter will get no traction on the Second Floor....
Now if the Governor can believe the recovery is here to stay, what can we do get him to believe that the federal money to expand Medicaid is here to stay, too?
If you look at the 2016 budget numbers. federal spending is up 20% from the last year actuals. If we are not going into a double dip, then why are they planning to continue spending federal stimulus money?
Answer: because the SDGOP is being lead by tax and spend liberals.
The SDDOT federal budget is higher than the 2010 federal stimulus level. When Vehle argues that we need new state taxes because the $183 million federal stimulus monies are gone, is out right lying.
Love to see Republicans fight
Owen,
Sibson sounds like McTurtle, only Mcturtle is taking credit for Obama's successful handling of the economy.
Close your eyes and imagine what the economy would be like under McCain or Romney.
Sibby instead of using the term tax and spend Liberals, could you use the term, tax and spend Republicans? Thanks.
Exactly Tara,
Democrats aren't in control of the purse strings in South Dakota, tax and spend Republicans are.
No, Daugaard is a tax and spend liberal. Just because you are a Republican does not automatically make you a conservative.
Gotta agree with Tara and Roger. It's Republicans that drive costs up by kicking the can down the road and cutting taxes at the same time. Recipe for disaster!
Yep, at least Dems aren't afraid about raising taxes to get 'er done. Pubs put it on credit. Now speaking of the DFL MN surplus.....
My personal income taxes were not raised in MN either. It was just the top wage earners of the state, which that would never ever happen in SD. How dare you raise taxes on the rich.
And Sibby, just because you Democrat does not necessarily make you a liberal. There are many good definitions of liberal. Tax and spend, everybody can relate to. Conservative and liberal have connotative meanings.
Tara,
Game, set, match on Sibson.
"tax and spend" is a bullshit thing to say, actually. That's what government is, and what it does.
No taxes, no spend, no government. Period.
The "politics" part is all about "who gets the money."
As usual, Sibby has nothing to offer us but worn-out, bumper-sticker bromides.
Fleming, spoken as a true die hard tax and spend liberal.
Spoken like someone who knows what government and politics is.
Tara, conservatives support the government set up by the Founding Fathers, who were liberals. The socialists decided to label themselves liberals because it sounded good. So it would be more accurate to call the Establishments of both parties, tax and spend socialists.
"what government and politics is"
Power hunger, money grabbing socialists.
Moron.
Bill, Troy uses code for all the words Sibby just blurts out: whose oxymoron is being gored anyway?
Sibby, could you please explain to me conservatives support the government set up by the Founding Fathers who were Liberals. Explain Founding Fathers being Liberals. You confuse me. Bill can we call them wasteful and foolish tax and spend Republicans?
Obama Recovery? Wow, are you part the spin machine? There's been much less recovery than acceptance or simply giving up. Just cause the numbers look better doesn't mean they are.
Larry, Troy would agree with me on this. So do you.
It's just a fact, not an opinion.
Troy likes facts. So do you.
Sibby on the other hand wouldn't recognize a fact if one jumped up his nightshirt and goosed him up the wazoo.
catholicism smells like fish, bill.
Fish sticks. Every Friday. I was crazy about 'em growing up. Later I discovered I love gefilte fish (can't get anybody to eat it with me). Like fish sticks in a jar. :-) ...is that TMI?
Tara, there are many flavors of Republican and I have separate names for all of them. I'm not into stereotyping. Not enough creativity in it. ;-)
Of course, there are always those Borrow and Squander Republicans. I think I first heard that from Douglas Wiken. It's so accurate.
We are a Republic. People watch too much TV to be a Democracy.
Deb, good one. Run up the credit card balance and then wait 'till the Dems get in office to:
1. Take blame for the debt
2. Raise taxes to pay it down while they scream bloody murder. And
3. Pretend like nobody knows what they're up to. ;-)
Happy Camper, I'm just looking at the words Governor Daugaard used. In his first gubernatorial campaign and throughout his first term, he showed a deep aversion to raising taxes. He explained that aversion as a fear a weak recovery or a return to recession that increased taxes would make worse. He now says he is willing to raise taxes, which means his fear must have passed and he does not see either a weak recovery or a significant risk of return to recession. Governor Daugaard must thus see an economic recovery of sufficient strength to bear his desired tax increases.
There are conservative Democrats but there is not liberal Republicans
Bill, at breakfast over the years I think I have heard some of those names. Some make me belly laugh.
Owen, there are Conservatives with Common Sense. And to them you should be appealing your positions. I know there are these people, for I am a past president of the SDCCS. Mr. Howie hates me for it.
* I am also a nationally syndicated author, and Mr. Randazzo hates me for that.
Seriously "Happy Camper"? WTF? "Just because the numbers look better doesn't mean they are."? Let's look at numbers comparing now with 2009. 5.6% unemployment now, 8.3% then. 5% GDP now, -5.4 then. Dow 17,427 now, 7,365 then. 4.4 million jobs LOST in Bush's last year, 2.5 million gained in 2014. 58 straight months of job growth. What's not better in these numbers?
Deb beat me to it. Democrat recovery is helping pay for Bush borrow- and- squander wars in the wrong country.
Now Republicans are trying to kill disability benefits. I have a 91-year-old friend who is miserly to the point his saving a few dollars has cost him tens of thousands of dollars. He is a public Democrat, but a miser Republican in his personal behavior. Daugaard and his GOP predecessors have been following a tax the poor and reward the rich formula that has never worked. It is voodoo and zombie economics. Daugaard more or less said the federal stimulus money got the roads into much better condition. He said the federal funding might drop. Why? He did not mention that his GOP aiders and abettors are now in control of Congress.
The GOP tax increases are all in the wrong places with the wrong methods. Heavy trucks do 15,000 times as much damage per mile as a car. Probably 25 or 30 times as much damage as an electric car. Not much increase by Daugaard on heavy trucks, but a lot of increase on light vehicles which are not the source of the problem.
If sales taxes on cars should go to highways, sales taxes on farm equipment should go to township and county roads. Taxing ag diesel is another stupid idea that results because farmers are a small part of the population that can be easily screwed by the mythology masters.
Shoul be "25 or 30 thousand times as much damage by trucks compared to very light electric vehicles."
doug-stated another way here recently, freight trucks do 99% of pavement damage, pay 35% of cost.
couldn't ignore: always literate barbie left the following mssg: "That all being said," i helped the house pass a new agreement that completely defunds the president's immigration executive overreach.
and so it goes.