“I am proud of this budget,” said SD GOP chairman Bob Gray, who is also the President Pro-Tempore of the State Senate.  “At the beginning of the session, Republican legislators promised to find cuts so that we could balance our budget without a tax increase.  Governor Rounds and the legislature have kept that promise.”

Executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party Lucas Lentsch noted that the budget deal was completed without cooperation from legislative Democrats.  “Yesterday, Governor Rounds invited the Democratic leadership to meet with him to discuss the budget – but Senator Heidepriem declined the invitation.  Senator Heidepriem claims to ‘work across the aisle,’ but apparently he can’t find the time to meet with the Governor of our state about the state budget.”

###