More higher education cuts?

[JimmyJack]

If you haven't reviewed Gov. Daugaard's budget proposal, you should It's here:

http://sd.gov/headlines/headlines_fu...s_full.aspx#67

I'm not going to delve into what's right and wrong there. I just wanted to post it so all of us who live in South Dakota will be aware of the process and participate in the discussion through our senators and representatives. Gov. Daugaard said his proposal is not "the" proposal. It is "a" proposal and a starting point.

We all need to be heard in this process. I urge you all to take a look.

[Nidaros]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I can't help but mouth your signature and Coach Stig's favored expression. Holy Nutmeg!!!

Looks like SDSU will lose 11 million if the Governor's cuts are implemented. This is a common problem through out the entire USA, except in North Dakota who happens to be sitting on a 7 billion dollar surplus.

I know my property taxes on my home are going up but I already expected that. I am not opposed to a state income tax to fix the problem.
I know that really gets the economic developers all worked up.

If the economy improves you would think this would solve some of the revenue shortfalls, but I doubt it will result in a cut in taxes anytime soon. Cutting the budget is not full answer to this problem, we need additional taxes in some form.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I can't help but mouth your signature and Coach Stig's favored expression. Holy Nutmeg!!!

Looks like SDSU will lose 11 million if the Governor's cuts are implemented. This is a common problem through out the entire USA, except in North Dakota who happens to be sitting on a 7 billion dollar surplus.

I know my property taxes on my home are going up but I already expected that. I am not opposed to a state income tax to fix the problem.
I know that really gets the economic developers all worked up.

If the economy improves you would think this would solve some of the revenue shortfalls, but I doubt it will result in a cut in taxes anytime soon. Cutting the budget is not full answer to this problem, we need additional taxes in some form.

I don't know the answer. I do think the Governor made a very persuasive argument in favor of eliminating that structural deficit. He's a good communicator and did a great job as economics professor-in-chief.

I do think, though, that everything should be on the table: cuts, taxes, etc. When you have been spending one-time money for about a decade AND cutting government at the same time, maybe it's time to ask whether you are generating enough revenue to do what the state needs to do to improve.

I don't believe an income tax is a great solution in a state like South Dakota that is income-challenged. In Oklahoma, we saw unbelievable swings in state revenue. A small economic downturn can have huge effects if you're relying on an income tax for revenue.

This is a good process. The Governor was very honest with us yesterday and I appreciate that. If nothing else, he has certainly given us a lot to talk about during this session. I do hope that limiting damage to K-12 and higher education will be priorities as the talks continue.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I do think, though, that everything should be on the table: cuts, taxes, etc.

I agree with this. I don't know much about budgets or economics or anything like that, but I don't think any option that can help should be ruled out.

[propar80]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I don't know the answer. I do think the Governor made a very persuasive argument in favor of eliminating that structural deficit. He's a good communicator and did a great job as economics professor-in-chief.

I do think, though, that everything should be on the table: cuts, taxes, etc. When you have been spending one-time money for about a decade AND cutting government at the same time, maybe it's time to ask whether you are generating enough revenue to do what the state needs to do to improve.

I don't believe an income tax is a great solution in a state like South Dakota that is income-challenged. In Oklahoma, we saw unbelievable swings in state revenue. A small economic downturn can have huge effects if you're relying on an income tax for revenue.

This is a good process. The Governor was very honest with us yesterday and I appreciate that. If nothing else, he has certainly given us a lot to talk about during this session. I do hope that limiting damage to K-12 and higher education will be priorities as the talks continue.

I can understand the cuts are needed and can be accomplished, and I also agree that they should leave K-12 alone and either raise a tax or dip into the reserve. This hurts the Independent-Right of my brain as I know that there is a ton of waste in any govt, but the Independent-Left tells me this is the right thing to do for the kids of SD.
But IMO they still need to continue to push the consolidation of schools as I've stated in other posts. If there's no consolidation of some of the smaller schools in SD, this will always be an issue.

Go Jacks!!

[LakeJack]

Re: More higher education cuts?

K-12 has to take cuts, bottom line, and I have kids in the K-12 system right now. The number of students in the system has been going down while their state support was going up. In higher ed it is the opposite, numbers of students served has gone up while state support has been going down.

[joeboo22]

Re: More higher education cuts?

K-12 has to take cuts, bottom line, and I have kids in the K-12 system right now. The number of students in the system has been going down while their state support was going up. In higher ed it is the opposite, numbers of students served has gone up while state support has been going down.

K-12 has a lot less to cut though. You can say consolidation, but do you want to stick your 8 year old on a bus to go 30 miles to the nearest school? And many of the small schools that you could consolidate are the ones that have the large surpluses. Ask any teacher and they will say you get the classroom numbers above 20 and you start losing kids.

The high school i graduated from opted out for 400K last year and if the 10% cut is implemented $340K will be taken up by the cut alone.

And a 10% cut across the board hurts the large schools more.

Don't like cutting higher ed though I think there is a handful of blackhole departments in the higher ed system.

[LakeJack]

Re: More higher education cuts?

K-12 has a lot less to cut though.

Based on what? Do you even know how K-12 is funded? Did you listen to the budget address?

[filbert]

Re: More higher education cuts?

An increasing part of the problem with K-12 funding is that a steadily increasing part of K-12 money is going towards other things than teaching the little'uns readin', ritin', and rithmetic. For a variety of reasons, primary and secondary education has been charged with doing a lot of additional things that either were never done in the past or were done elsewhere (in the family, church, etc.).

At some point, we as a society have to start seriously asking the question "can we afford to keep doing things the way we've been trying to do them for the past 80-100 years or so." That point may, I think, be a lot closer than some people may wish it to be.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More higher education cuts?

An increasing part of the problem with K-12 funding is that a steadily increasing part of K-12 money is going towards other things than teaching the little'uns readin', ritin', and rithmetic. For a variety of reasons, primary and secondary education has been charged with doing a lot of additional things that either were never done in the past or were done elsewhere (in the family, church, etc.).

At some point, we as a society have to start seriously asking the question "can we afford to keep doing things the way we've been trying to do them for the past 80-100 years or so." That point may, I think, be a lot closer than some people may wish it to be.

Exactly.

[goon]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I just don't see raising taxes solving anything. Sure maybe we don't have a defict for a few years, but the government will keep spending and find our selves right back here asking, how much do we cut, can we afford to cut, can't we just raise taxes again...etc.

[leeshajo]

Re: More higher education cuts?

To put the cuts in perspective... I talked to Abbott today for my P&D story tomorrow...

If the 10 percent cuts go through as is... USD could cut the ENTIRE, (not buildings) Law school and still have to come up with another 1.5 million in cuts...


For Yankton School District... it puts them in the hole $3.3 mil going into next year...

Where would you cut?

On the flip side... if ever person in South Dakota agreed to pay $3 every two weeks ($150ish) per year (Less than I spend on Mountain Dew in a week)... we would have a state surplus.

I am not saying there are not cuts we can make to save money... I just don't feel arbitrary cuts across the board is the way to do it.

I guess I feel maybe it is time for us to step up and say we are sick of being last in the nation and we want better.

[slosho]

Re: More higher education cuts?

To put the cuts in perspective... I talked to Abbott today for my P&D story tomorrow...

If the 10 percent cuts go through as is... USD could cut the ENTIRE, (not buildings) Law school and still have to come up with another 1.5 million in cuts...


For Yankton School District... it puts them in the hole $3.3 mil going into next year...

Where would you cut?

On the flip side... if ever person in South Dakota agreed to pay $3 every two weeks ($150ish) per year (Less than I spend on Mountain Dew in a week)... we would have a state surplus.

I am not saying there are not cuts we can make to save money... I just don't feel arbitrary cuts across the board is the way to do it.

I guess I feel maybe it is time for us to step up and say we are sick of being last in the nation and we want better.

i agree with you.. BTW the truth you spread... you would never make it in politics. well at least not in SD.

[leeshajo]

Re: More higher education cuts?

i agree with you.. BTW the truth you spread... you would never make it in politics. well at least not in SD.

I know... funny, sad and true, to write my story unbiased tonight, I had to write a 50 inch Big B with a scratchy ITCH editorial first to get it out of my system, I haven't decided if I am going to let it run or just consider it a vent....

[slosho]

Re: More higher education cuts?

I know... funny, sad and true, to write my story unbiased tonight, I had to write a 50 inch Big B with a scratchy ITCH editorial first to get it out of my system, I haven't decided if I am going to let it run or just consider it a vent....

Blog worthy?