I’m hearing this evening that there’s a legislative resignation announcement coming at 10AM tomorrow. (Dagnabit, the person who confirmed the rumor said it’s not public until then… so I need to honor that.)
Sounding like someone got a new job, precluding their continued service. And good for them for the opportunity.
The Argus Leader’s February’s tale of Scott Hoy’s woe was odd enough, as it brought everyone up to date and told us how he was getting on after being mocked for an equally odd commercial. (Not that we cared.)
And again today, Argus reporter Stu Whitney felt we needed another dose of Scott Hoy on the Argus webcast he started named “Su Fu Stu.”
Is there some man crush thing the Argus has going on with Scott Hoy?
Since South Dakota is soon to be the only state left on Obama’s bucket list, which may inflict us with a visit from the most unpopular president in modern history, a reader offered us a list of the top 5 places that the President should visit:
Top Five Places Obama Should Visit in South Dakota
The press is reporting that as of later this week, South Dakota will be the only state left for President Obama to visit during his presidency. We offer the following top five destinations for the President’s consideration:
1. Belle Fourche Sale Barn. It would likely serve President Obama well to spend some time around West River ranchers who know a thing or two about supply and demand, small businesses and hard work.
2. A ditch. (Or is it a navigable waterway?) Any Ditch in Eastern South Dakota. A few hours examining ditches East River might prove to be an enlightening experience if it helps change the President’s mind on the misguided EPA ‘Waters of the United States’ rule.
3. Mitchell Gun Show. Perhaps an afternoon mixing and mingling with a room full of freedom-loving, responsible gun owners would do the President some good.
4. Big Stone Power Plant. Another real life example of the President’s runaway regulatory regime that does nothing but increase the cost of doing business. The proposed EPA carbon rule will increase energy costs and hit energy-intensive states like South Dakota especially hard. He should see the plants, like Big Stone, that his rule will impact.
5. Walleye Fishing. According to the new book by former aide, Reggie Love, President Obama hates walleye. The only way to get the President to appreciate this delicacy is to head up to West Whitlock for a day of walleye fishing.
Lee Schoenbeck sent this along for sharing with our readers, but asked that we not share until it appeared in the Argus. So, now that it’s been in , here you go:
Representative: We Made The Right Decision Killing a Fifty Percent Tax Increase
As I was cleaning my bird cage, I noticed Stu Whitney’s column attacking legislators for not supporting a 50% increase in the city sales tax. He attributed the House of Representatives’ decision, the South Dakota People’s House, to being under the influence of the Koch brothers. I don’t know the Koch brothers, but I understand their name is pronounced the same as Coke. To that extent, I have seen legislators influenced by them, usually in the Diet Coke ideation late in the afternoon debates!
On the other hand, I can think of at least five more likely reasons a majority of House members, and particularly the Sioux Falls House members you singled out, rejected this large tax increase.
First, while it may not be readily apparent from the Minnesota Avenue window-view, a lot of South Dakotans are blue collar folks that work hard, and struggle to pay their bills week-to-week. A fifty percent increase in the city sales tax means something in their lives, and it doesn’t end there. This same session, that same People’ House also killed in floor debate a proposal to take the limits off of those same blue collar folk’s property taxes. You see, there are more people, groups and ways looking to spend the citizen’s hard earned dollars, than your average citizen can probably tolerate. I’m sure they appreciate the attention, but prefer to make their own family decisions about how to allocate their resources.
Second, I was a little surprised by the way you fell for the old snake oil sales line about it being an optional tax. The first penny sales tax was an “optional” tax, all cities imposed and we now pay. The second penny sales tax came later as an “optional” sales tax now imposed by all cities and paid by all of our families. This new third “optional” tax would be as surely imposed, and eventually broadened, as has every other piece of the city sales tax in our state. Dr Oyos used to warn us at Augie that “those who ignore history, are doomed to relive it”.
Third, the sales tax puts South Dakota retailers at a competitive disadvantage to their internet competitors. Every time the sales tax is raised, attention needs to be paid to the consequences for the small businesses that line our main streets, fund our little leagues, and provide jobs in our communities. If the U.S. Congress ever gets out of the pocket of the Googles, Amazons, and Microsofts of this world, and let’s the state’s fix it, state legislators wouldn’t be the front-line protection in this battle.
Fourth, the line of folks with ideas for the use of the people’s money in Pierre is not a short one. Legislators need to bring the spine to the job that allows them to stand strong in the face of so many good, and some not so good, demands on their citizen’s funds. Appropriations triage is not for the faint of heart. A new tax increase is a draw on those same resources – it takes the people’s finite, and hard-earned resources.
Finally, even a casual reader of the Argus Leader would be aware that we have funding challenges for education in South Dakota. Competitive salaries to attract and retain qualified educators in the k-12 world, and funds to keep tuition affordable in the technical school and regential system will come with a cost – a big one. The only realistic option on the table is some form of a sales tax for some period of time. As they say: “Sweat Pea, you can’t ride a horse with your butt in two different saddles”. Either you’re going to provide funds for your Mayor’s favorite projects, or your going to look to the critical needs of educating our citizenry. Realistically, you have to pick, and there’s a chance that your local legislators understand that math – and we’re looking down the road to next session for the good of our South Dakota families.
So Stu, while we in the ESD world were not disappointed to see you promoted from the sports page, from the heart I tell you, I prefer it when your ruminating stays closer to home. After all, the Mayor Mike – Kermit fights have at least a few more good years of ink in them.
Lee Schoenbeck is a mechanic’s kid, rookie House member, and country lawyer from near Watertown, SD
I had mentioned this article a few days ago, which appears on Huffington Post, as well as ProPublica:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/19/vote2reducedebt_n_6901058.html, where it claims
Founded in May of last year, Vote2ReduceDebt raised its nearly $3 million almost entirely from Davis, and spent just about all of it. Its filings with the Federal Election Commission list ads, phone banks and rallies for candidates in tight races, including Joni Ernst in Iowa and Cory Gardner in Colorado.
and…
Patrick Davis, 47, was a one-time political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a professorial type who has worked on dozens of national and local campaigns. Hill, also 47, is a gregarious Fort Worth native known in the trucking industry for inventing a trailer that dries peanuts during transport.
The allegations of fraud started in dueling memos that went to the older Davis and the group’s board of directors. Hill claimed Patrick Davis was faking expense reports and trying to award contracts to phantom companies. Davis’ camp said Hill was hatching a plan to defraud the oilman out of $4 million, and alleged the PAC’s attorney may have been in on a cover-up.
But not so fast. Since that article came out, at least two articles have been written with an opposing point of view, which completely contradicts what the ProPublica Article notes, and accuses ProPublica of being a Soros funded venture. :
http://www.establishmentclearinghouse.com/pro-publica-knee-caps-the-truth-again/
Appears that with background, which Pro Publica conveniently chose to leave out, Federici was upset because she had been blowing the whistle on corruption and had been ignored. Things got a lil dicey after Patrick Davis and Italia had blown the whistle on the NASCAR dream and there were concerns that the legitimate work that Person to Person PAC had done on behalf of V2RD had been ignored at best or lied about behind the scenes.
So after Randy disclosed this plan to Federici and Davis, Federici contacted multiple law firms and got opinions about how to unravel Randy’s plan. On June 25 Cleta Mitchell and Federici took the information to the PAC’s counsel Chris Gober. Rather than act upon the information presented in an impartial or even-handed way, Gober was in no hurry to bring the info to the board, and did not try to set a board meeting for Patrick to present the information. In an effort to get the info to the board and Mr. Ken Davis and to bypass Gober, Patrick Davis wrote an affidavit and emailed it to the board.
Which side do you believe? Go ahead and read them both, and let us know.
I’m sitting at my nearly empty table, tapping this out as people snake through the food line at the 2015 Brookings County Lincoln Day Dinner.
Congresswoman Kristi Noem is the keynote speaker tonight, a speech I’m looking forward to hearing. Other constitutional officers are here such as Steve Barnett, Chris Nelson, and Marty Jackley.
Very interestingly, State Rep Mark Mickelson is here visiting the city of his youth. I’m not sure of we should chalk that up to nostalgia, or to the fact that the two other main contenders for Governor in 2018 are here as well.
Jason Ravnsborg is here too, which coincides with the rumor of his interest in 2018 contest for Attorney General.
Legislators? State Senator Larry Tidemann and State Representative Scott Munsterman are here locally, and Reps Leslie Heinemann, John Wiik, & Fred Deutsch all made it to town.
The candidates for Mayor, Keith Corbett & Mayor Tim Reed are here, as are other city and county officials.
It’s a nice crowd, especially for an off year. I’ll update on any interesting things that come up tonight.
Ugh. Too much on my plate, and too much spam in my e-mail box. I am only realizing a day later that I was sent the list of legislators who joined the South Dakota group for Jeb Bush. So, better late than never….
South Dakota State Legislators Join Draft Jeb Bush Group
Senate Majority Leader Joins Group Urging Jeb Bush to Seek Presidency
Sioux Falls, SD— March 26, 2015 — Today Steve Westra (R-SD) announced the addition of eight South Dakota state legislators to the South Dakotans for Jeb Bush volunteer group, including Senate Majority Leader Tim Rave (R-SD). The South Dakotans for Jeb Bush group was founded by Steve Westra, assistant South Dakota House majority leader, and has gathered hundreds of names of South Dakotans that are urging Jeb Bush to run for the presidency of the United States. The group was the first in the nation formed to urge Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, to run for the office of the President.
“We have shown that this draft Jeb Bush movement has broad state wide appeal,” said Westra. “We have respected state leaders from West River ranch country, the James River valley area, Sioux Falls, and all over East River.”
“Jeb Bush represents the best of South Dakota conservatism, and that is why this draft movement is attracting the support of many Republicans. We have farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, educators, and students that are united in their support of Jeb Bush,” said Westra. “Jeb Bush represents the majority of South Dakotan’s views on a limited government, a strong national defense, and protection of our Second Amendment rights.”
South Dakotans for Jeb Bush has set up a Facebook site at www.facebook.com/sdforjeb with over 500 names accumulated to date. The group will be sending Jeb Bush the names of South Dakotans that were early supporters of his campaign.
The complete list of legislators that have joined South Dakotans for Jeb Bush include:
1. Senator Tim Rave (R-SD), Senate Majority Leader, District 25, Baltic, SD
2. Representative Justin R. Cronin (R-SD), District 23, Gettysburg, SD
3. Senator Phyllis Heineman (R-SD), District 13, Sioux Falls, SD
4. Representative Alex Jensen (R-SD), District 12, Sioux Falls, SD
5. Representative Larry Zikmund (R-SD), District 14, Sioux Falls, SD
6. Representative Fred W. Romkema (R-SD), District 31, Spearfish, SD
7. Representative Dick Werner (R-SD), District 22, Huron, SD
8. Representative Burt E. Tulson (R-SD), District 2, Lake Norden, SD
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I received this in the mail yesterday, addressed to my wife and myself as delegates:
That was a nice note to GOP delegates, and it’s good to be thought of when it isn’t campaign season.
The AP has a story this morning noting former GOP Chair, and current Senate Majority Leader, Tim Rave has signed on to support Jeb Bush for President:
A South Dakota lawmaker who formed a group to back potential presidential candidate Jeb Bush is being joined by some top state legislators.
Sioux Falls Republican Rep. Steve Westra says Senate Majority Leader Tim Rave and seven others have signed on to his volunteer group.
(So who are the others? Nice detail, AP)
Rounds Offers Amendment to Protect Taxpayers
from Waste, Fraud and Abuse
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today introduced an amendment to the budget resolution requiring Congress to include findings from Inspectors General (IG) when examining ways to reduce waste, fraud and abuse within federal agencies.
“We owe it to South Dakota taxpayers to make certain their hard-earned dollars are spent wisely in Washington,” said Rounds. “I’ve already been working with IGs in my committee work and know firsthand how valuable their reports can be in finding waste, fraud and abuse among agencies. My amendment seeks to include this valuable information when conducting important oversight work in Congress.”
The current budget resolution calls for Congressional oversight committees to examine the biennial Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) High Risk List when finding ways to seek waste, fraud and abuse within their agencies of jurisdiction. Rounds’ amendment would add Inspector General semi-annual reports and unimplemented recommendations as part of that oversight process.
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