Category: Uncategorized

From today’s Argus:

Thompson and other anti-Common Core advocates tried to make their voice heard at a public forum hosted by the state’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teachers and Students.

Common Core might be contentious, but task force organizers, including some of the state’s top lawmakers, say it has no place in the ongoing school funding talks with teachers, business leaders and community members.

and…

Thompson and others tried to bridge their complaints, but were stymied by the format, she said. They eventually refused to participate in the discussions, which required attendees to meet in small-groups, answer specific questions asked by the moderator and write responses on sticky notes.

But the Common Core protesters should be heard, Thompson said. The standards create extra costs for local districts, for curriculum materials and technology, she said.

Read it here.

So, here we are again. A bunch of people say its all about common core. Because school funding issues magically came about since the implementation of the school standards developed by states?

Ugh. They sound like a broken record. Protesters say common core part of funding problem? Not really. But they don’t have to look that far to get to the root of it.

The argument over school funding has been around since long before Common Core, NCLB, and every other education initiative or education acronym you can recall. Just a few years ago, schools unsuccessfully sued the state to try to determine what an appropriate level of education funding should be. Not to mention previous studies on school funding which pre-date CC.

Even that lawsuit was an attempt to circumvent some of the attitudes which have kept education funding as a contentious issue over the years. And some of those attitudes are almost schizophrenic.

In many communities, people don’t want to pay taxes adequate to support school needs. “Those darn teachers make too much for working 9 months,” and cries of “There are too many school administrators! They can manage 600 employees instead of 200 if we consolidate.”

Yet they’re the first ones to bleat when their local school is in threat of closure, because school closure is a sure-fire town killer, which dries up the chances of anyone wanting to move to that community.

Contributing to the funding inertia is the state teachers union, SDEA, which can’t decide if it wants to merely bite the hand of the legislature that feeds it, or to declare a fatwa against the Republican majority. Neither one has ever worked so well for them, except to harden hearts to anything coming out of their mouths.

And the legislature isn’t so pure in the debate as well. Has anyone ever calculated the cost of the curriculum mandates thrust upon schools over the years? While simultaneously some of the same legislators place their hand over their heart and declare to the masses (who aren’t paying attention) “I am for local control!”

And we have the ‘long suffering’ school boards who have a tendency in this environment to hoard any additional funds in reserve for the next time a school building explodes, burns down, or is declared a asbestos ridden health hazard unfit for inmates, much less children. More funds for teacher pay? Sorry, that’s going into the sock in the coffee can buried in the yard.

The point of all of this is that when it comes to education funding, its not Common Core. We’re all part of the problem. And we all need to be part of the solution.

Its whether or not everyone can accept giving up part of their kingdom for at least a momentary respite in an age old debate.

Do we want to improve funding for education in this state, or do we want to rearrange the chairs on the deck of the Titanic (again), while schools fall apart, teaching positions go unfilled, and we allow the debate to rage for yet another decade?

The Blue Ribbon Study Group has more meetings to come. We shall see.

I don’t know about you, but so far, so good this father’s day.

I got to sleep in a little, and the kids graciously threw some father’s day gifts at me, including a Lowe’s gift card which I used towards a purchase of a DeWalt Planer. (Thanks Kids… and Mrs PP).

Or as my #3 daughter put it, “So, mom got you a present so you can work on more projects for her?”  Something like that.

I’ve been up-cycling old pallets lately, turning them into various things, and this helps me up the quality significantly. That, and trying to belt sand them to a smooth grain is a bit of a pain.

After seeing my recent project, my oldest put in a request for a coffee table, so it could not have come at a better time. I’ve got the top gluing at the moment, and I’ll see how it turns out.

As my #3 alluded to, after the gifting, I’ve spent much of the afternoon in the garage covered in sawdust as I reclaim strips of oak and various woods from their former life to create things that my kids or wife might find useful. And, isn’t that what dad’s do?

In between all of this, I have a pork shoulder that’s been on the smoker since this morning, a pile of sweet corn that I’m going to roast on the grill, and my own dad to pick up from his apartment.

So, I’d better get back to it.  I wish all you dads out there as enjoyable a father’s day as I’m having today, and may you enjoy the company of the families you serve so well.

The Argus Leader has a story out there today where, once again, we have Republican legislators who have their priorities backwards. 

Because they’re out there advocating to make life easier for criminals, as opposed to victims:

State Sen. Craig Tieszen, R-Rapid City, is among those who thinks the next criminal justice reform should include a discussion of how to help people leaving prison as a way to prevent them from returning.

“These people should have an opportunity to re-enter the workforce,” Tieszen said. “Obviously, they won’t be automatically hired, but they deserve equal opportunity to re-enter the workforce.”

Tieszen, who recently advocated for legislation to restore ex-convicts’ voting rights, said the state could use a “ban the box” law.

And…

We’re just locking people up and shaming them. … It’s a broken system, and South Dakota I think is a good place to experiment with change,” Hickey said. “I believe the best way to help them is to treat them as human beings.”

Read it all here.

If some of these guys spent as much time working to ensure crime victims were made whole, and criminals were held to full account for the damage they do to people’s lives, I might be more sympathetic.

But they don’t. They spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make the criminal whole, as opposed to the people whom they might have damaged along the way.

Until victims are restored, criminals should not expect to participate fully in society.

It is a privilege that should be earned. Not handed back.

S.D. Attorney General Explanation for Initiative Measure Relating to Maximum Finance Charges Upheld

PIERRE, S.D.- Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today Circuit Judge Kathleen Trandahl has denied the request to have the Attorney General’s Office rewrite the explanation for the initiated measure relating to maximum finance charges for certain lenders. Opponents of the measure recently challenged the explanation in court. Judge Trandahl rejected their arguments and held that Jackley’s explanation was proper.

“Pursuant to South Dakota law, I have worked to provide a fair, clear, and simple summary of the proposed measure in order to assist our voters. The Court has reaffirmed the fairness of this process,” said Jackley.

Under South Dakota law, the Attorney General is responsible for preparing explanations for proposed initiated measures, referred laws, and South Dakota Constitutional Amendments. Specifically, the explanation includes a title, an objective, clear and simple summary of the purpose and effect of the proposed measure and a description of the legal consequences.

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Democratic Mayor Mike Huether may just have blown a major Sioux Falls development deal because he just can’t help trying to draw attention to himself. As noted in today’s Argus:

Last week’s unveiling of a downtown development plan left many with the impression that iconic establishment Skelly’s Pub and Grill has been sold and will be demolished as part of the $40 million project.

That’s news to Houston Haugo, the 73-year-old owner of the Phillips Avenue property, who criticized Mayor Mike Huether and other city officials for announcing details of a public-private partnership that is still under negotiation.

“There’s no deal,” Haugo said Wednesday from his home in Arizona. “No money has been exchanged and there’s no signed agreement. This was a case of the mayor and (development director) Darrin Smith overdriving their mouths.”

And..

One potential hurdle, however, is the higher price that property owners might seek if they see their buildings as crucial to the city’s development plan. That is why some are scratching their heads about what they perceive to be a premature and ill-advised announcement.

“When you’re dealing with business negotiations, you just don’t do stuff like that,” said Haugo, a former Valley Bank chairman and Lincoln County commissioner who has owned Skelly’s since 2003. “With this stupid move, I could ask for more money. But I’ve known (Sweet) a long time and we came up with a price.”

Read it all here.

One thing my mother taught me about business was that “once the deal is made, don’t talk the other guy out of it.”. In other words, if you have a agreement in principle, don’t say something stupid and blow the deal before it’s set in stone.

Advice that Huether would be wise to heed.

Noem’s Office Accepting Applications for Fall Interns

Washington, D.C. – Representative Kristi Noem is accepting applications for fall internships in her Washington, D.C., office, as well as in her offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Watertown.

Student interns in Representative Noem’s office will assist staff with various constituent service and communications projects, as well as assist with legislative research. Both South Dakota and Washington, D.C., internships provide students with first-hand knowledge of the legislative process and the countless other functions of a congressional office.
College students who are interested in interning in any of Representative Noem’s offices should submit a resume, cover letter, and references to [email protected] by August 3.

For more information, contact Christiana Frazee at 202-225-2801.

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From a today’s KCCR, State Rep Elizabeth May wants a special session of the legislature to address education. 

Representative Elizabeth May of Kyle is making a bold statement, saying that a special session is needed to truly address the teacher shortage and the financial crisis that most school districts are facing.

And…

May has been critical of the “Blue Ribbon Task Force” that was created by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard. May states that the Blue Ribbon task force is failing to address the negative effects that the federally mandated standards and assessments are having on school districts financially and academically.

May says that she knows that the people selected to the task force will do a good job, but is also disappointed with who was selected.

Read it here

AG Marty Jackley is putting potheads on notice tonight that if they think the Flandreau reservation is their smokin up haven, they’ve got another thing coming:

Jurisdiction Over Marijuana in South Dakota and Our Reservations

PIERRE – The possession, distribution and manufacture of marijuana is a violation of both federal and state law. Unfortunately, the federal government has created confusion in relation to marijuana jurisdiction in Indian Country with recent inconsistencies. 

As South Dakota’s Attorney General, I respect each Tribes authority to pass laws that govern Indian persons within Indian Country. It is equally important to recognize that South Dakota law prohibits the internal and physical possession, distribution, and manufacture of marijuana by: (1) all non-Indian persons anywhere in South Dakota including within Indian Country; (2) all Indian persons outside of Indian Country.

“I want to encourage Tribal leaders to continue to work with state authorities to better ensure our respective laws are followed, public safety on our roads remains a consideration, and that both Indian and non-Indian persons are not put in harm’s way by the jurisdiction complexities being created by our federal government,” said Attorney General Jackley.

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Grassley, Thune Introduce Comprehensive Taxpayer Bill of Rights Legislation 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. John Thune of South Dakota today introduced comprehensive legislation to improve customer service at the IRS, create new taxpayer protections, and update and strengthen existing taxpayer protections. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act of 2015 comes amid gross mismanagement and inappropriate actions by IRS employees that have shaken what little confidence taxpayers may have had in the agency. 

“The IRS has never been anyone’s favorite agency,” Grassley said. “But it shouldn’t repel and mistreat the people it exists to serve. The IRS’ level of customer service might be at all-time low. Taxpayers are at a disadvantage with an agency that has tremendous power over their money. The IRS might talk about good customer service. Too often, talk is all there is. The IRS needs to walk the walk. Congress needs to act. This bill will help swing the pendulum away from agency self-preservation and back to taxpayer service.”  

“This bill is intended to enact a much-needed culture change at the IRS, an agency whose reputation and trustworthiness has severely deteriorated with the American people over the last several years,” said Thune. “No American should have to fear that politics could play a role in their confidential tax information being disclosed to a third party‎, that they will be targeted based on their political beliefs, or that the IRS would not properly retain its employees’ emails. This bill takes an important step toward restoring this agency to one that the American people both expect and deserve.” 

The bill is necessary to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect taxpayer rights by preventing IRS abuses, Grassley and Thune said. Among other provisions, the legislation: 

 

· Significantly increases civil damages and criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure or inspection of tax return information and significantly increases civil damages for improper IRS collection activities.  

· Imposes an affirmative duty on the commissioner of the IRS to ensure that IRS employees are familiar with and act in accordance with all taxpayer protections.

· Updates the “10 deadly sins” established by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, those actions by IRS employees that require mandatory termination, to include official actions taken for political purposes.

· Permits the Treasury Department to provide status updates, and in certain instances require status updates, regarding investigations into misconduct by IRS employees — or in some circumstances third parties – to taxpayers who are the subject of the misconduct. 

· Puts the bite back into a provision, recently called a “toothless tiger” by Tax Notes, that permits taxpayers to bring a cause of action against the IRS for unauthorized collections actions. 

· Extends the declaratory judgment remedy currently available to 501(c)3 to other 501(c) groups, including 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, in instances where the IRS fails to act on an application in a timely manner or makes a negative determination as to their tax-exempt status.

· Prohibits IRS officers and employees from using personal email accounts to conduct official business.

· Provides additional authority concerning the use of taxpayer information to the IRS for the purpose of locating taxpayers due a tax refund.

· Requires tax-exempt organizations to file Form 990 electronically and mandates that the IRS make such information available in a timely manner. 

· Imposes new requirements on the IRS with respect to email retention consistent with the existing directive from the Office of Management and Budget and the National Archives.

 

Grassley is the former chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over the IRS. Grassley championed the 1988, 1996, and 1998 taxpayer rights laws currently on the books. Grassley and Thune serve together on the Finance Committee and are joining forces to make the right to quality service a high priority at the IRS.

The bill contains some provisions passed by the House of Representatives in April and additional provisions to address shortcomings that have come to light since the last taxpayer rights bill. 

A section-by-section summary of the bill, S. 1578, is available here. The bill text is available here. Video of the news conference is available here.  

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