It’s interesting watching the event center debacle as the Huether Administration continues down the road in lame duck mode, and his successors line up for next years’ election. What I think the unanimous consensus is going to be regarding his final months in office is that in the zeal of his endless and shameless self-promotion, he screwed up. Badly.

The settlement over what were termed ‘defects’ in the siding for the crown jewel in Huether’s building spree, the events center, had been promoted by Huether vaguely as a million-dollar settlement…. but no one could verify it because it was ‘secret,’ so we all had to take his word for it.

After the Sioux Falls Argus Leader successfully sued the City for the disclosure of the agreement, there was an immediate information dump by the city with little to no comment. And with every new disclosure, the heap of dung that Huether had apparently sold the City of Sioux Falls started to smell worse and worse.

Initially, Sioux Falls residents were outraged over the fact that despite alluding to it, or at least failing to correct people’s misperceptions, Huether had left people with the impression that the settlement for the city was a million dollars in cash, yet the truth was that this was a false impression. Maybe not an outright lie, but a misunderstanding that was intentionally not corrected at the highest level.

The truth? Everyone pitched in a little. Which wouldn’t be unusual in a settlement, yet ever the huckster, Huether spent his time trying to make it appear to be an outright win.

Fast-forward in time, and now in the latest revelation, we now find that of the million dollars Mayor Huether was claiming the city of Sioux Falls received in the settlement, nearly half of that was in a contingency fund that they would have received back anyway… making that million dollar settlement closer to a $500,000 one.

But councilors zeroed in on money from a contingency fund, which the primary contractor M.A. Mortenson used to make a portion of its contribution to the settlement. According to the settlement, Mortenson contributed about $515,000 toward the settlement using money from the construction manager contingency fund.

and…

But for Councilor Greg Neitzert, that answer was a semantical one. The contingency money did belong to the city even though Mortenson would have had a right to it should the city ask for a building feature to be corrected, he said.

“We were going to get the $500,000 back if there were no latent defects anyway,” Neitzert said.

Read that here.

Coming after a secret settlement started all of this, the latest newspaper headline on the topic blares “Premier Center settlement: City Hall won’t release forensic report,” where the City Administration is leaning on a report being “a draft” versus being “a final report” as the excuse for not releasing the document to the public.   Not releasing a report that many seem to think should be public information. On a technicality?

That seems to be the kind of thing that got the Mayor’s administration in trouble in the first place.

in recent years, Mayor Huether seemed bound and determined to be launching a political career of some nature. Unfortunately for Huether, his autocratic self-promotion has been obvious, and his utter unwillingness to express any ‘mea culpas’ over unforced errors is now on public display for the state’s citizens.

And it all comes right at a time when if he intended to make the jump to statewide office, he would need to do so.  But, at this juncture I don’t think Huether would stand a snowball’s chance in hades of being able to run a statewide political campaign.   Politically, I think you can get the tongs out, because this weiner is done.

As for legacy? I think it’s an understatement that currently Huether is going out on a bad note.  I think the media is going to be digging around to quantify “how bad” the tune is being played for months to come.

Ultimately, legacy is up to history to determine.

But you have to admit, in recent days, it sure looks like his administration is doing its best to end badly.

Noem Supports Life, Helps House Pass Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing H.R.36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Cosponsored by Noem, the legislation bans abortion after 20 weeks – the point at which studies have shown an unborn baby can feel pain.

“A strong and growing body of medical research provides evidence that at 20 weeks, unborn babies can feel pain – and still, our federal laws allow for these babies to endure the pain of a life-ending abortion,” said Noem. “Every life – including an unborn baby’s life – has dignity and value, so while I believe we have a long way to go to protect the smallest among us, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is a step in the right direction that I’m proud to support.”

Noem believes this legislation is a step in the process of protecting all unborn lives. She is also a cosponsor of H.R.490, the Heartbeat Protection Act, which would protect babies once a heartbeat is detected, and H.R.681, the Life at Conception Act, which she helped introduce and would define life as beginning at conception.

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This afternoon, the South Dakota Republican Party launched a Facebook page urging caution for citizens presented with petitions for the ballot measures currently circulating for possible inclusion on the ballot in the 2018 election cycle.  At the direction of it’s governing body, the South Dakota Republican State Central Committee, the State GOP started an effort this afternoon, according to a statement posted to the Facebook page:

While in the past, the State GOP has traditionally taken a somewhat “hands off” position, in recent years the rank and file have grown more vocal about the party’s activities in opposing ballot measures.

In the posted statement, the GOP is not making any bones about where it sits on the spate of ballot measures in recent years, stating in part  “The initiative and referendum process was established in South Dakota to allow a government that’s more responsive to its citizens. Not for whatever D.C. or California special interest group who could write the biggest check and send in armies for a slick, street-corner sell.”

The GOP’s concern runs parallel to the South Dakota legislature taking action at the state level to find a solution to address the abuse by out-of-state organizations initiating measures. On Friday, the bipartisan Initiative and Referendum Task Force is set to finalize their work on several proposed pieces of legislation, and is scheduled to direct the state’s Legislative Research Council on the group’s Final Report.

You can like and share the facebook page by clicking here: https://www.facebook.com/dontsignontheline/posts/1571344366218934

A friend had posted to Facebook the other day a question that was in my wheelhouse, asking about the best book to read about campaign management.

There were some predictable responses, mainly from people finding something on amazon.com that fit their own style. And I say predictable, because most of them can be distilled down to the same information. As in “One of those things is much like the other.”

The problem with many books is that they end up on shelves. I’ve got a couple, which reside in a bin of things that I’ve cleaned off the shelf after they’ve gathered dust for a few years. Old video card. Cheap Camera battery grip that ended up being too cheap.  “The Campaign Manager” by Catherine Shaw.

Now, it’s not an awful book. Not complaining at all. It’s about as good a generic book as you’ll find on the topic. Most of those books on how to manage a campaign all have similar advice. And too many overly complicate it.

Figure out a budget. Sketch out a calendar. Research your issues. Identify and analyze your universe of voters. Write a plan, and follow it. Adjust as needed. Then those books will give you a couple of suggestions on how to write a press release, or a fundraising letter, or some other function of a campaign.

If you are looking at it to formulate how to run a race for mayor, or county office, or even the State Legislature in South Dakota you might be over-complicating it. Those books assume a lot, much of which doesn’t apply in many areas of South Dakota, such as talking about TV news stations that cover the area. Outside of Sioux Falls, the list where that applies drops off quickly. In this state, you might be lucky to have one newspaper that covers the area.

How do you help your chances in getting elected in South Dakota? If you’re the candidate at anything less than a statewide office, a couple of pieces of advice.

1. Most important, go knock on doors. The candidate has 1-2 jobs, tops. Raise votes, and raise money. And the money goes towards raising votes. Most important is raising votes.
2. Quit trying to be the campaign manager. That’s not your job. Find someone you trust, and have them keep track of all the back room campaign work. They can place ads, figure out the budget, pull voter lists, etc. (Or you can pay someone to do that).

In South Dakota, our politics are very personal and retail. People want to meet who they’re voting for.  If faced with a choice between two candidates, one who they’ve never heard of, and one who they might vaguely be acquainted with, they’re going to pick the one they know.

That’s the key. They will pick the one they know. That’s the hurdle that most candidates fail to achieve. They just don’t meet enough people. It’s vitally important, especially in local races. Name ID is where most candidates fall short, and you aren’t going to get it by putting a couple of ads in the local shopper paper.

There are levels of bonding that voters have with candidates if and once both are equally known. What I’ve been taught is referred to as “the know – like – trust” test. But most candidates don’t achieve the “know,” so the rest is a moot point.

So my best advice for all you potential candidates out there – skip ordering the book. Meet your neighbors instead. And I mean all of them.

Just a quick update from out on the campaign trail from this past weekend, where both DWU and NSU had homecoming parades as we lead into the fall:

I don’t think anyone missed Dusty Johnson in the parades with his campaign material plastered all over the side of a semi-truck (with the hugest disclaimer I’ve ever seen).  Mike Rounds had a semi-sign like this during his first race for Governor, and it tended to be noticed.

Congresswoman and GOP Candidate for Governor Kristi Noem was on the parade route in Aberdeen at NSU Gypsy Days with her team:

Gubernatorial Candidate and Atty General Marty Jackley was also pounding it out on the campaign trail at events this past weekend:

Despite blocking my ability to see her updates on Facebook after she lost the State Fair straw poll, I was able to grab a screen shot noting that Congressional hopeful Shantel Krebs was at the NSU parade this weekend:

And while other candidates walked in parades and met people (actual campaigning),  Lora Hubbel had more important things to ponder:

The deadliest mass shooting in US History occurred last evening, and it has the attention of our elected leaders as we all pray for peace and sanity in a world that sometimes makes no sense anymore:

There are no words to describe the loss of life in Las Vegas last night. Praying for those grieving today, for Las Vegas, for our world.

— Rep. Kristi Noem (@RepKristiNoem) October 2, 2017

Our hearts go out to the victims and families of the Las Vegas shooting last night. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

— Marty Jackley (@martyjackley) October 2, 2017

Praying for victims & families of the horrible shooting in Las Vegas. Thank you to first responders for your bravery. #PrayForLasVegas

— Senator Mike Rounds (@SenatorRounds) October 2, 2017

Kimberley and I are praying for and grieving with the Las Vegas community and everyone who was affected by this senseless violence.

— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) October 2, 2017

My prayers are with the victims and their families in Las Vegas. Many acts of heroism from authorities and bystanders alike.

— Dusty for Congress (@DustyforSD) October 2, 2017

Jackley Officially Announces for Governor

Attorney General Marty Jackley will officially announce he is running for governor of South Dakota with a statewide tour on Oct. 3-4 that will focus on South Dakota jobs, education and innovation.

“As your attorney general, I have fought to keep the streets of our communities safe for your children,” said Jackley. “Now I want to fight for their future.”

In addition to gathering input from constituents, Jackley will highlight the themes of his campaign.

“I will fight for better jobs, stronger education, improved healthcare coverage, public safety and our quality of life,” he said.

The announcement tour will include stops in ten cities where Jackley will discuss his vision for the state with the people of South Dakota. Each stop will feature innovative South Dakota businesses and education institutions, including the renovated Erskine Building in Sturgis that used to be the elementary school Jackley attended and the SD School of Mines & Technology where he attended college.

“I believe in the people of South Dakota and I believe in empowering them—not the government,” said Jackley. “As our new governor, I will work to bring people together to achieve a new dream and a promising future for our great state while keeping our South Dakota values.”

The tour will conclude with a statewide tele-townhall meeting where Jackley will hear directly from constituents.

Jackley has served as attorney general since 2009. He also served as the U.S. attorney for South Dakota from 2006 to 2009. He grew up in Sturgis, SD, graduating from Sturgis High School in 1988. He graduated with honors from the SD School of Mines and Technology in 1992, having earned a degree in electrical engineering. He went on to receive his law degree from the USD School of Law in 1995.

Jackley was also a partner in a Rapid City law firm helping numerous people and businesses. He and his wife Angela have two children- Michael (13) and Isabella (11). His family has a farm near Vale, South Dakota, and his wife’s family operates a ranch in Meade County.

Jackley for Governor Announcement Tour Schedule

Tuesday, October 3rd

9:30am CDT	Sioux Falls	Downtown Hilton Garden Inn (Hegg-Lloyd Meeting Rooms)
Noon MDT	Rapid City	SDSM&T (Christensen Hall of Fame Room at King Center)
3:00pm MDT	Spearfish	Black Hills State University (Jonas Science Center)
5:15pm MDT	Sturgis	Erskine Building (1300 Sherman Street)

Wednesday, October 4th

8:00am CDT	Yankton	Kolberg-Pioneer Inc. (700 W. 21st St.)
10:00am CDT	Mitchell	Innovative Systems (1000 Innovative Drive)
Noon	Brookings	Brookings Innovation Center (2301 Research Park Way)
2:00pm CDT	Watertown	ESCO Manufacturing (2020 4th Avenue SW)
5:00pm CDT	Aberdeen	A&B Business Solutions (110 S. Main St.)
7:00pm CDT	Huron	Ryan’s Hangar Restaurant (100 4th St. SW)

 

Tax Reform for Middle-Class South Dakotans
By Sen. John Thune 

The U.S. tax code is too large, too complicated, and too outdated. Reforming and modernizing it so more middle-income South Dakotans can keep more of what they earn doesn’t have to be complicated, and it’s something on which both Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

The tax reform framework the Senate, House, and Trump administration recently released is the result of a months-long process that included significant coordination between Congress and the administration. As we work to turn this broad framework into a bill, members of the Senate Finance Committee, myself included, will continue to have an open process by holding hearings, receiving feedback from the American people, and taking our ideas about tax reform to communities in South Dakota and around the country.

The framework we’ve released would expand the “0 percent tax bracket” by doubling the standard deduction to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for folks who file jointly. The standard deduction is the amount of money that’s taken off the top of your gross income and is not taxable. For a family making $24,000 or less per year, that means they won’t pay a dime in federal income tax. Joint filers who make more than $24,000 per year won’t pay federal income tax on that portion of their earnings either.

The Child Tax Credit is important for a lot of middle-class families in South Dakota, which is why I support preserving and strengthening it. As under current law, up to the first $1,000 of the credit would be refundable, and the framework wouldn’t change that. It would, however, increase the phase-out threshold, which means more families would have access to it.

The current tax code has seven tax brackets and way too many itemized deductions. Our tax reform framework would condense these brackets into three progressive tax brackets. With the increased standard deduction, these new brackets would lower the tax burden on hard-working Americans, while high-income earners would still pay a higher tax rate. While it would get rid of most of the complicated tax deductions, it would preserve popular benefits for home ownership and charitable contributions. These are good tax incentives for families, and I believe they should remain in the code.

I’ve been fighting to bury the fundamentally unfair death tax for years, and I’m glad the framework incorporated my idea to protect family-run farms and ranches from this burdensome tax that can strike at the worst possible moment. While critics believe certain folks, including some farm and ranch owners, should be taxed twice on their income or forced to spend valuable time and money dealing with lawyers and accountants just to avoid being a victim of the death tax, I do not. These can be scarce resources that could otherwise be used to grow a business or hire new workers.

The reason I believe we’re headed in the right direction is because this framework would help the people who need it the most. It would provide relief to middle-class families, and it would help small and medium-sized businesses and farms and ranches grow and create jobs. There’s more information about the framework and how we plan to achieve these goals onwww.thune.senate.gov. Just click on the tax reform tab on the homepage, and please let me know what you think.

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Newspapers are the Heart of Local Communities
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

South Dakota’s 126 daily and weekly newspapers are the heart of communities across our state. Local papers play a vital role in keeping citizens informed of what’s happening in their hometown, from decisions being made at city hall to milestone anniversaries and other celebrations within the community. They also allow us to learn and understand events happening across the globe, right from the comfort of our homes. Reading the paper over a cup of coffee each morning is a part of my daily routine while I’m at home.

To recognize the important role that newspapers play in delivering information, the first week of October is dedicated to National Newspaper Week. This year’s theme is “Real News…Real Newspapers,” highlighting the importance of trustworthy, factual journalism and news.

“Real News…Real Newspapers” is a timely theme, especially as more and more Americans rely solely on social media feeds to get their daily news. It’s important to remember that anyone with a smart phone or computer can publish anything they want on social media—it isn’t always true, and is often based on personal opinion rather than researched facts. We hold newspaper reporters to high journalistic standards, and it is important that we can rely on them to write fact-based, unbiased stories. Now, the editorial page is another story!

One of the most important duties of all newspapers is to cover elected officials and government decisions at all levels—federal, state and local.  As a former governor and now U.S. senator, I have worked with newspaper reporters for years, and I appreciate the hard work they put into covering government. In fact, I invite all South Dakota reporters to join me on a media call almost every week to update them on the latest from Washington and allow them to ask questions on any topic affecting their readers.

A free and independent press is a cornerstone of our democracy. As President Lincoln said more than 150 years ago, ours is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Our press corps plays in integral role in keeping government accountable and making sure the public is aware of the actions of those they elect.

From the editorial teams covering meetings and events around town, to the publishers, advertising teams, and the folks who wake up early to deliver our papers to our front doors each morning, I thank South Dakota’s newspapers for their tireless work keeping readers in-the-know about what’s happening in our communities, our state, our country and our world.

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