So, I spent yesterday in Pierre hanging out and working with a project I’m going to assisting with. And there were a number of state legislative candidates who turned in petitions as they rolled into town. Here’s the official list:

State Senator	Jack Kolbeck	REP	1/13/20	District 13
State Senator	Joshua Klumb	REP	1/13/20	District 20
State Representative	Hugh M. Bartels	REP	1/13/20	District 05
State Representative	Ernie Otten Jr	REP	1/13/20	District 06
State Representative	Randy Gross	REP	1/13/20	District 08
State Representative	Rebecca L Reimer	REP	1/13/20	District 26B
State Representative	Dayle D. Hammock	REP	1/13/20	District 31
State Representative	Mary Fitzgerald	REP	1/13/20	District 31

I was also catching that some races are getting more interesting.  I heard that current District 24 State Senator Jeff Monroe, who is precluded from seeking another term as a result of term limits, intends to run in the District 24 House race, expanding that primary to 4, possibly 5 people.

I heard that several races in Sioux Falls were possibly fluid.. and there will be more to come on that.

Had the opportunity to meet new District 19 State Representative Marty Overweg. Very nice guy, and in speaking with him, he’s getting up to speed, and is looking forward to the legislative session.

On non-legislative business, I spoke with an elected official who told a fairly concerning experience which underlined the need for an increased security protocol for the State Capitol.  Having gone through the new security screen on my way in, it’s less than a minor inconvenience, and less than what you have to go through to attend a major league ball game.

Keep on reading.. more legislative coverage to come.

State of the State Preview – Governor Kristi Noem: “South Dakota is OPEN for Business”

PIERRE, S.D. – On Tuesday, Governor Kristi Noem will deliver the annual State of the State Address. Among other topics, Noem will outline why South Dakota is the best state in the country to own and operate a business.

Excerpts from remarks, as prepared for delivery:

“…I grew up with a Dad who dreamed of all four of his kids being able to stay on the family ranch if they wanted to. My vision for South Dakota is the same. We must ensure that every South Dakotan can build their life here and make a good living, so they can provide for their families and maintain our traditions and way of life. This is why I am committed to four pillars of protection for South Dakotans: keeping taxes low, limiting government spending, fighting government intrusion, and keeping government open and honest. 

“With a year under our belt, I’m proud to stand before you and say we accomplished a lot in 2019, and we did it all without raising taxes and without spending more than we took in.

“And to all the business prospects we’ve been recruiting, I’d like to make the case here and now about why you should join us in South Dakota:

1. Our people – their work ethic and values are second to none. 
2. There’s no corporate income tax.
3. There’s no personal income tax.
4. There’s no personal property tax.
5. The taxes that we do have to fund state government are stable and predictable.
6. Government in South Dakota lives within its means. We balance our budget without accounting gimmicks and tricks.
7. We have a AAA credit rating and our state pension plan is fully funded. 
8. We believe in smart regulation. We roll out the red carpet, not the red tape.
9. Our part-time legislature is a true citizen legislature.
10. Our outdoor opportunities are second to none. 

“I have traveled all across this country and around the world, there is no better place to operate a business and raise a family than in South Dakota.

“For employers and employees alike… South Dakota is THE PLACE to do business. Whether you’ve owned and operated a business for four generations, or you’re looking to start or even relocate your current operation, I want my message to be crystal clear: South Dakota is OPEN for business.”

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In February of 2009, writing on his blogspot website, Neal Tapio offered his following thoughts on racial profiling:

If you are a Middle Eastern man in your middle teens to late 40’s, you have the same look as a terrorist. You should be mad as hell the people that look like you are willing to blow up planes in the name of Allah, not at the rest of us who recognize the look of a terrorist.

Deal with it.

Read that here.

In 2009 Neal Tapio declared that if you looked like you have “Middle Eastern” ancestry, “you have the same look as a terrorist” and that they can just “deal with it.”  And “for the people who believe profiling is wrong, you have blood on your hands.”

And a decade later that rhetoric has not changed.

In 2018, after expressing his intention to get into the race for US Congress, Tapio found himself in front of an interfaith group at the capitol in Pierre who prayed for tolerance and religious acceptance:

Members of the group invited Tapio to join them for a group photo. Tapio, looking uncomfortable, stood with them as cameras clicked and flashed.

Then he turned his back to the cameras and began yelling at those around him, “I don’t like being called a racist.”

The former state director for President Donald Trump then launched into a speech he’s frequently made before. He stressed the need to ban travel to the United States by Muslim individuals, particularly from Muslim-majority countries where groups have supported Sharia law.

Read that here.

I can’t imagine why he might think they consider him racist.  Nor can I see that there’s a groundswell to hear it all over again.

Last election, the rhetoric included Tapio going so far as to intimate that an Islamic terrorist attack prior to the June South Dakota primary would “assist his candidacy.”  In a recording, he said, “And then all that has to happen is that there will be one more terrorist attack between now and then and I will be the, just by the Trump effect, I will be the candidate. That’s the way I look at it.”

While there wasn’t an attack, raising the specter of Islamic terrorism didn’t propel his campaign forward either.

After the 2018 Republican Congressional Primary had Tapio coming in third, defeated about 2-1 by now incumbent Congressman Dusty Johnson, it seemed that we might be done with Tapio’s apparent war with people who might worship God differently or look differently than he does.

But after a year where we didn’t hear much about it, Neal came out of the woodwork, and expressed he may get into the race.   He even put Republicans on notice that he may skip the primary.   In recent weeks Tapio has engaged the services of a person doing exploratory work for him.

And as opposed to trying something new, he appears to be preparing his entry into the race with a near-constant stream of anti-foreigner rhetoric, via facebook.

It’s like deja-vu all over again.  The same rhetoric Neal ran unsuccessfully on in 2018 when there was an open seat is being recycled for a new campaign against the now incumbent who cleaned his clock in the primary.  An incumbent popular with state residents, I might add.

I’m not sure why Neal thinks that a new campaign based on his same tired platform of refugees, racial profiling, and islamophobia will create a groundswell that’s going to carry him over Dusty Johnson in June or November.   Is this the kind of thing that South Dakotans want to hear after it was rejected once already? I find that highly doubtful.

The Tapio campaign is already recycling the same-old rhetoric in the same narcissistic manner, where the campaign isn’t about what South Dakotans need, or what state residents want.  It’s all about the things that Neal has been talking about for more than a decade.

His campaign against those following a different religion didn’t work in 2018.  And I really doubt it’s going to get any farther now in 2020.

State Representative Dave Johnson is the first Legislator out of the gate in 2020 to file to run for the legislature.. except it’s not his current office. He’s filed to run for State Senate:

State Senator Bob Ewing had filed earlier, but he’s dropped down to run for the Lawrence County Commission.

An eagle-eyed reader also picked up a new Republican candidate for office running in District 17, noting Richard Vasgaard of Centerville, is circulating petitions to run for District 17 House.

More campaign filings should be coming quickly with legislators returning to Pierre this week.

I’m heading over for a quick trip to Pierre this afternoon for some goings on tomorrow.   Unfortunately, I’ve got to be back tomorrow night, as my wife heads to Miami for an academic conference. And seeing the cold weather coming, I know who got the bad end of that deal.

New Year, Same Commitment to Fighting for South Dakota
By Sen. John Thune

President Ronald Reagan once said, “I’ve always thought New Year’s Day was an especially American tradition, full of the optimism and hope we’re famous for in our daily lives – an energy and confidence we call the American spirit.

Perhaps because we know we control our own destiny, we believe deep down inside that working together we can make each new year better than the old.”

2019 was a productive and historic year in the Republican-led Senate. It never earned a “breaking news” banner, but it sure deserved one. We continued our effort to help transform the federal judiciary by confirming well-qualified judges – a lot of them. In fact, we’ve confirmed so many in the last few years that now one in four federal circuit court judges in the United States has been appointed by this president and confirmed by a Republican Senate. This is good news for Americans who want level-headed judges who simply call balls and strikes when it comes to interpreting the law.

In 2019, my bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act, or TRACED Act, became law. It puts those bad actors who are behind the annoying and illegal robocalls we all hate receiving on notice and provides a pathway for criminal prosecution. In other words, it sets the stage for creating a credible threat of spending time behind bars.

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, or SECURE Act, also became law last year. I was proud to support this bipartisan effort, which takes several important steps that will help workers better prepare for retirement, including by expanding access to retirement savings accounts like 401(k)s.

The Senate also approved the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorized the full annual funding request for development of the B-21 bomber. We repealed costly Obamacare taxes, strengthened the border, and appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars for election security improvements, among a laundry list of other accomplishments. And on a personal note, after years of working to promote the advancement of next-generation technologies, it was humbling to see Sioux Falls become one of the first cities with an active 5G network last year.

As is always the case, the work is never complete, and 2020 provides a fresh opportunity to continue putting points on the board for the American people. At the top of the list is passing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a 21st century update to the decades-old trade pact between the three countries. Passing it would be a huge win for the U.S. economy, particularly the agriculture economy, which has disproportionately struggled in recent years.

In South Dakota, I’m excited for what’s to come at our very own Ellsworth Air Force Base, and I’m committed to doing everything I can to ensure it’s in the best possible position as it prepares to be the nation’s first host of the B-21 bomber.

This year, I look forward to continue working with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie, who has prioritized the needs of rural and tribal veterans. After encouraging him to visit Hot Springs, I’m glad he will soon make the trip. It’s imperative for him to see “The Veterans Town” firsthand and meet with the community that supports this critical facility.

There are a number of additional opportunities this year, including efforts to reduce health care and prescription drug costs, develop our workforce, double down on my work to expand rural broadband and strengthen America’s position in the race to 5G, and work on the next highway bill. During the last surface transportation bill debate, I served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and I was glad to play a role in ensuring South Dakota’s priorities got the attention they deserved – something I will do again this year.

The Senate certainly has a lot on its plate this year, but I’m confident we’ll be able to focus on the agenda the American people elected us to pursue. Like Reagan, I truly believe that in America, tomorrow will always be better than today, and as we enter this new year, I’m looking forward to doing my part to strengthen the American spirit by continuing that tradition.

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U.S.-Iran Relations: A Primer
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

For more than four decades, Iran has been a nefarious actor on the international stage. They’ve spent billions of dollars supporting terrorist activities across the globe, wreaking havoc in the Middle East and threatening to destroy the United States and our allies. We’ve seen this escalate in recent weeks as they killed an American contractor in Iraq and orchestrated the storming of the U.S. embassy in Iraq, putting American lives in danger.

President Trump made the bold decision to take out Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian military leader responsible for planning and executing Iran’s terrorist activities. This necessary action was designed to protect Americans from anticipated attacks that he was directly involved in planning and let Iran know that threats to the U.S. and our partners will not be tolerated.

When the Iranian regime came to power in 1979 it was through a violent overthrow. For the past four decades, they’ve sought to spread their influence and extremist ideologies by assassinating rivals, arming terrorists and using unconventional warfare against their enemies. In 1979, Iran took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. In 1982, they oversaw the creation of the terrorist group Hezbollah. Hezbollah and Iran worked hand-in-hand to orchestrate the bombings of the American embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983, which killed 241 Americans. It is also believed that Iran and Hezbollah bombed the Israeli Embassy in Argentina in 1992, as well as a Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994.

Since 1998, these actions were led by Qasem Soleimani, a designated terrorist by both the United States and the United Nations. He is responsible for killing over 600 American troops in Iraq and was planning future attacks. Other than Osama Bin Laden, no other terrorist is responsible for killing more Americans over the past two decades than Soleimani. The world is a safer place without him in it.

In a recent briefing with top administration officials, we learned more about the events that led the president to take the decisive action to take out Soleimani. Following that briefing, it was clear to me that there was an imminent threat to U.S. interests and that President Trump acted appropriately to protect the lives of American citizens when he ordered the airstrikes that killed Qasem Soleimani. We also learned more about Iran’s retaliatory airstrikes at two American bases in Iraq. We are grateful that there were no casualties from their attack. It would be in Iran’s best interest to take this as an opportunity to de-escalate tensions between our two countries and stop any plans for future attacks.

We do not want war with Iran, and President Trump has made it clear that he wants to eliminate conflict in the Middle East. But he has also made clear that we won’t back down when American lives are threatened. He drew a red line in the sand and when Iran threatened American lives, he took decisive action to let them know enough is enough. Iran must know that when we’re provoked, we will use the resources we have to defend ourselves. As the situation with Iran continues to unfold, we will make sure the safety of Americans is the top priority.

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Securing the Border from South Dakota
By Rep. Dusty Johnson

Click here to learn how a Yankton company is supplying technology to the southern border

Securing our border has been at the forefront of this administration’s agenda and rightfully so. I traveled down to the southern border earlier this year and real progress is being made there, however, there is more work to be done.

In the last year, we experienced a true crisis on our southern border with unprecedented numbers of illegal border crossings. Congress and the administration have been focused on how best to combat this crisis, so I welcomed the opportunity to visit a business right here in South Dakota that is playing a key part in increasing security at our borders.

There are big things happening at Ehresmann Engineering in Yankton. Family owned and operated since 1983, this organization has been involved in border security for twenty years. Ehresmann produces remote video surveillance systems (RVSS) for use along our southern and northern border, with most of their towers utilized at the southern border.

When we think border security, most people think of the border wall. Of course, a physical barrier is a crucial part of the solution and many new miles of fencing and concrete wall are currently being built or updated. However, advanced technology and structures like the ones produced at Ehresmann play a key role in the solution to our border crisis. When I visited the border last year, one of my major takeaways was a variety of solutions are needed to ensure optimum security. When you pair physical structures with technology like Ehresmann’s RVSSs, our border is better protected, and our patrol agents have a wider range of tools to monitor our borders to the best of their ability.

This past year, we made significant progress on the southern border. From May to September, we saw a 64 percent decrease in border apprehensions. That’s unprecedented improvement, and it’s in part thanks to the work of organizations like Ehresmann Engineering. I was proud to see during my visit that the hard work of South Dakotans is paying off in a big way for the security of our country. I look forward to seeing American innovation like what we are seeing in South Dakota continue to advance our border security.

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Four Guardrails: A Path Forward for Decriminalizing Industrial Hemp
By Governor Kristi Noem

Over the last year, we’ve had a long conversation about industrial hemp. I’ve been grateful to talk with folks about the topic and hear different perspectives at townhalls, coffee shops, basketball games, and everywhere in between.

And I’ve been outspoken that I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Last year, I vetoed a bill that didn’t address concerns surrounding public safety, law enforcement, or funding. I asked the legislature to wait until we had direction from the federal government and a plan to address those concerns. Now since that time, things have changed. Federal guidelines have been put in place, a South Dakota tribe has been given the green light on production, and other states’ actions mean we need to address hemp transportation through our state. The legislative summer study also did great work, and they included some good ideas.

On January 9, I outlined for the legislature a path forward – four guardrails, if you will – on hemp.

First, it must include reliable enforcement guidelines. This means the moment someone starts growing hemp, they would consent to an inspection and a search. This would all be done without liability to the law enforcement agency, and the actual costs of disposal would be paid by the grower or possessor. The bill must prohibit the sale or use of hemp and hemp derivatives for smoking. And it would include an annual, statistical report by the Attorney General to the legislature and me about the impact decriminalization is having on other criminal drug prosecutions.

Next, the bill must include responsible regulation regarding licensing, reporting, and inspections. This would include a minimum land area size and an appropriate fee structure for the application, annual license, and inspection.

Third, the law must require a permit and any other needed paperwork for all safe transportation of the product. And for those who transport it without appropriate documentation, there must be appropriate legal consequences.

And last, the law must have adequate funding. I believe decriminalization will cost about $3.5 million (adding up one-time and ongoing costs), and there must be a plan to pay for it. A plan that doesn’t include raising taxes.

These are the pieces I need to see in a bill in order to consider signing it into law. Given all that we need to accomplish this session, if we can get this done in the coming weeks, it would be a good way to kick off this year’s legislative session.

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From the Pierre Capitol Journal, it sounds as if one of the more hotly contested races this year might be for the mayor of South Dakota’s Capital City:

As he said he would more than a year ago, riverboat captain Caleb Gilkerson announced this week that he is running for mayor of Pierre. He faces the incumbent mayor, Steve Harding, who Gilkerson has accused of bad faith in long discussions over a place to dock the Sunset paddlewheeler.

“I went to pick up petitions,” Gilkerson told the Capital Journal on Thursday, Jan. 9. “You can’t begin to collect signatures until March 1.”

Mayor Harding announced Tuesday at the close of the Pierre City Commission’s weekly meeting, that he would run for a second three-year term this summer.

It would not be far off to call Gilkerson Harding’s nemesis, in a city where local government officials just don’t have such open foes.

and…

He said, obviously to Harding: “It’s very hard to work with someone who isn’t going to be honest with you from the git-go. And that’s what we have been running up against.”

This type of angry criticism just doesn’t happen hardly ever in City Commission meetings in Pierre in recent years.

Harding, who normally is cheerful and puts a positive spin on about everything, clearly was angry, although he did not raise his voice as much as Gilkerson did.

Harding said, “… I’m offended by your personal attacks, which are untrue.” And a little later, seemed to nearly lose his temper: “I’ve got way more that I can say. But we don’t have time here.”

Read the entire story here.

If you read the article, it sounds as if there’s an undercurrent of discontent in my hometown that might be bubbling to the top. Keep an eye on this one. Could develop into a battle.

The Argus Leader has an editorial today where they’re scolding legislators for not raising taxes, and goes so far as to advocate for several new ones that could be imposed:

It’s folly to rely exclusively on cutting waste and chasing efficiencies to improve the lives of our families, friends and neighbors across the state. It’s incumbent upon lawmakers to explore opportunities to change the dynamic and explore modes of increased revenue, as other states have done:

• Sports gambling. More than a dozen states have legalized sports betting and are reaping the benefits. Iowa brought in $1.1 million in sales tax in its first four months of legal sports gambling. Tweaking how that sales tax is structured could optimize the state share of the impressive revenues seen so far.
• Mansion taxes. South Dakota’s relatively miniscule real estate transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of value – one-tenth of one percent – could be revised to a bracketed system, with slight increases in rates at higher value breakpoints. Several states have implemented or increased this tax, but Washington state in particular may provide a good template to follow.
• Getting creative with trust laws. Creative lawmaking has turned South Dakota (dubbed “the new Switzerland”) into the top tax-haven destination for the ultra-rich to put their trust funds. The state only collected $1.1 million in fees from the $175 billion in trusts parked here in 2015. Legislators can find a way to net more than .0006 percent of what is estimated will be $355.2 billion in trusts by the end of 2020 without sacrificing our ranking as a safe harbor.
• Corporate income tax. Taking a look at the huge tax breaks we award businesses that are located here could allow more South Dakotans to reap the benefits a corporate-friendly climate.
• And, yes, a modest personal income tax. South Dakota is one of only seven states that doesn’t have a state income tax, along with top trust-haven pals Alaska, Nevada and Wyoming. The “tax we do not speak of” could use further study to determine future viability.

Read it all here.

“Sin taxes,” in the form of new gambling.  Increased real estate taxes. Increasing taxes on trusts. Corporate and personal income taxes. That’s quite the list of people they think should be taxed.

But…… I can’t help but notice in that all these new taxes they’re advocating, they’re leaving a very easy one out – one that would not require any additional staff or new bureaucracy to collect it. Just the removal of an exemption.

So, why don’t we see the Argus Leader actually leading and setting an example – and campaigning to removing the sales tax exemption on advertising to help boost the state’s bottom line?  Last it was looked at, it was estimated that a sales tax on advertising would bring in $21 Million* to state coffers.  Not exactly small change.   (Update, I just spoke to an appropriator who pointed out it’s up to $35 Million!)

Just like anyone else, as far as the Argus is concerned, the best taxes are those that others pay.  So, they can climb off of their high horse anytime, demanding that government tax more so they can spend more.

Because they don’t want to pay any more in taxes than the rest of us do.