Effort to scrap economic development slush fund comes up short

Lawmakers vote to keep executive branch 'Future Fund' money

(Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — Many state lawmakers agree that the Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s “Future Funds” have not been properly expended over the last several years.

But enough also agreed that the overall benefit of the money is reason to keep the taxpayer-funded account alive, for now.

That was the sentiment of the South Dakota State House, as it voted 32-38 this week to kill Rep. Liz May’s House Bill 1186. May’s bill would have gutted the Future Funds program completely over the next six years.

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