P - Present
E - Excused
A - Absent
Roll Call
P Rep. Derby
P Rep. Pummel
P Sen. Madden
P Sen. Greenfield
P Sen. Kleven
P Rep. Clark
P Rep. Burg
P Sen. Dennert
P Sen. Drake, Chair
OTHERS PRESENT: See Original Minutes
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Drake
Chairman Drake assigned the minutes of January 10, 2001 to Senator Greenfield for review and to
read at the next Subcommittee #2 meeting.
Chairman Drake assigned the minutes of January 12, 2001 to Representative Burg for review and
to read at the next Subcommittee #2 meeting.
Department of Revenue
Secretary Gary Viken was introduced along with the Board of Directors. Secretary Viken explained
the budget summary.
Senator Drake asked if the department is fully staffed. Mr. Viken replied that the department had
four or five vacancies that they are attempting to fill and at this time the FTE situation is satisfactory,
but as the continued service increases due to BIT enhancements, the need for FTE will grow.
Representative Clark asked what amount of funds would be needed for the Department to continue
with their E-Government enhancement. Mr. Viken replied that the $47,000 for vehicle registration
online and the $100,000 for a fuel tax database to be online are the only two BIT enhancements they
are in need of at this time. (See Document #1)
Senator Drake stated that the Department had requested three FTE's last year to man a 1-800 number
for taxpayer assistance and asked if there is still an ongoing need for these three FTE's. Mr. Viken
stated that the three FTE's are still in place and the need for them has continued.
Senator Greenfield asked for an explanation of the mailing activities that warranted the addition to
the budget. (See Document #1) Mr. Viken explained that the Department must continue to mail out
paper copies of licenses and that postage has been increased as of January 2001.
Representative Derby asked what percentage of the bank franchise tax is given to the schools in the
county where the bank resides. Mr. Viken replied that 100% goes back to the school.
Representative Burg asked if the larger companies within the state are assessed by the Department
or the county in which the company resides. Mr. Viken replied that the larger companies are
assessed by the Department and it values them centrally.
Mr. Viken explained the tax revenue process and special tax revenue.
Senator Kleven asked if the severance tax included oil/gas tax and if a percentage of the tax goes to
the county for use. Mr. Viken explained that there are two types of severance taxes, those that are
energy related and those that are mineral related. The distribution of funds from the severance taxes
is as follows: energy severance taxes are kept within the state if it is before 1981 and if it is after
1981, 20% goes to the county and 80% goes to the Department; mineral severance taxes are split
50/50 between the county and the Department.
Senator Drake asked if the repeal of the inheritance tax would constitute a decrease in the FTE that
are responsible for collecting inheritance taxes. Mr. Viken replied that the decrease would not come
until after August of 2002 because the collections of inheritance taxes would continue until then
because of the date of repeal.
Senator Drake asked if there was a reason why the compliance reviews of business tax license
holders decreased. Mr. Viken replied that it was due to lack of staff.
Senator Greenfield inquired about the possibility of there being an Internet sales tax implied in the
near future. Mr. Viken replied that some businesses are already charged an Internet sales tax if they
are doing business only within the state of South Dakota, but there isn't a way to tax those who are
doing business elsewhere or only a relatively small amount within South Dakota, such as Internet
Catalog Sales.
Committee was recessed at 10:00 AM
Committee was reconvened at 10:20 AM
State Auditor
Mr. Vern Larson, State Auditor, was introduced. The mission and purpose of the State Auditor's
Office were explained. He explained the increase in the amount of vouchers processed since
FY2000.
Representative Clark asked if when a state employee has a portion of their check donated to charity
if there is a charge for doing so. Mr. Larson explained that there is a charge to write and send the
check to the charity and that charge is taken from the amount that the employee has given.
Senator Kleven asked about the debit/credit card purchases that have taken the place of vouchers in
the different departments and if there is any regulation or list of expenditures. Mr. Larson stated that
they have no database or a way to determine what the purchases are at the time of purchase, but each
individual department can look at the statements they receive from the businesses and determine
what the purchases were for.
Bureau of Finance and Management
Mr. Curtis Everson was introduced as well as the Board of Directors. Mr. Everson stated the mission
and purpose of the Bureau.
Senator Drake asked if there was a decrease in their E-Government budget. Mr. Everson replied
affirmatively.
Senator Dennert asked if the mission of the State Auditor and the Bureau of Finance and
Management were the same. Mr. Everson stated that there are things that the two Departments work
on cooperatively, but their goals are not completely the same.
Mr. Everson explained the increase of contractual services on page seven of Document #1 pertained
to the increase in BIT bills. He also explained the payment schedule of the sales/lease back program
on page eight of Document #1.
Senator Drake asked about the two million dollar reserve for retirees. Mr. Everson replied the
funding was still there and the interest remains with the fund.
Representative Burg asked why the fund decreased by $536,000 yearly. Mr. Everson explained that
the value of the bonds issued decreases and therefore the fund decreases.
The funding of the computer system development on page nine of Document #1 was discussed by
Mr. Everson.
Senator Greenfield asked if the Bureau had sufficient FTE's. Mr. Everson stated that the Bureau is
currently understaffed by two FTE's.
Representative Clark asked if the Governor's Budget Book was put together by the Bureau. Mr.
Everson stated that it was.
Representative Clark asked Mr. Everson to review the wording of the Budget and notice the word
'man-hour' and see if it can be replaced with 'work hour.'
Representative Clark asked why there wasn't a budget for E-Government in their budget requests.
Mr. Everson stated that the Bureau has little outside development and no real need for E-
Government.
Senator Kleven asked about the debit/credit card that replaced the voucher system and wanted to
know if there is a way to have a check and balance system within this system. Mr. Everson said the
purchases could be placed in a database by each Department and they could gain this information
from the invoices sent to them by the seller.
MOTION:
ADJOURN
Moved by: Pummel
Second by: Kleven
Action: Passed by voice vote
LeAnn Allstot
____________________________
Committee SecretaryBob Drake, Chair
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