Governor Rounds' proposed two million dollar cut to the Highway Patrol's 2009 budget is already having an impact on how many troopers are on the roads to respond to accidents.

Highway Patrol troopers have been busy for the past two days in the Sioux Falls area after five inches of snow fell Christmas Day. But only five troopers were on duty Tuesday, meaning only a few troopers were working on each shift, and a spokesperson for South Dakota's Department of Public Safety says the reason more troopers were not working was because of the proposed budget cuts.

Crunched up cars in the ditch have kept Highway Patrol troopers busy the last few days, and one of the reasons is the state budget crunch. 

Democratic Senator Scott Heidepriem says, "The thing that's so unfortunate to me is that we allow our funding of the Highway Patrol to fluctuate based on the highway trust fund revenue." 

While there were five troopers on duty in the Sioux Falls area all day Tuesday, there were supposed to be more. But according to a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Public Safety some troopers were told not to come to work Christmas Day because they already had overtime, and the department didn't want those troopers to work anymore because of the proposed budget cuts for 2009. 

Heidepriem says, "I certainly hope that we aren't making those changes in anticipation of a budget that hasn't even been voted on yet." 

That's because Heidepriem says there is support for the Highway Patrol in Pierre and he plans to write up legislation to restore money for troopers in the 2009 budget. 

Heidepriem says, "There will probably be legislation specifically to address this cut. Senator Abdallah and I are already working on that kind of approach." 

Because Heidepriem says in storms like Tuesday's the state can't afford to fall behind when it comes to public safety. 

Heidepriem says, "This is clearly protecting those in need and that's all of us and we depend on the Highway Patrol to do exactly that."

State Senator Gene Abdallah is also working on legislation to stop the cut. Abdallah was the head of the Highway Patrol when it faced cuts, and he says overtime was the first thing to be reduced, and this latest snow storm proves what will happen if cuts are made.