And Initiated Measure 22’s effects continue to spiral out of control. The latest victim? The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce is canceling the legislative welcome they host every year for the legislators who are coming to town:
Hi Pat,
The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce is regretfully canceling the Legislative Welcome, which is traditionally the first “official” event of the legislative session pending a final decision at our board meeting today.
Our event involves local businesses and organizations sponsoring one or more legislator with the intent of welcoming them to the Capitol City for the next two months. We probably would be OK moving ahead with our event because the ticket price is much less than $100. But because several of our sponsors are involved in different organizations, we are not sure how they would be affected. At the same time we are hearing that legislators are considering not attending any events just to be safe.
In addition, we are looking ahead to the rest of the session trying to figure out how it will affect us. We buy a table at the tourism banquet and traditionally invite our legislators to sit with us. We also sponsor our legislators at the SD Chamber Business Day at the Legislature. Between those two events we will have be just a few dollars under our $100 limit (assuming each attends both events). If we went ahead with our Legislative Welcome, we would likely need to drop one or both of these other sponsorships. For the next 11 months I guess we’ll let them take us out to lunch if we need to talk about an issue!
While this is disappointing to our office, it will be devastating to Pierre’s economy. The Ramkota, other restaurants and caterers have come to depend on the businesses generated during the Legislative Session. They are just now starting to understand the impact of IM22.
This was a terrible issue and will continue to be confusing for the foreseeable future.
Laura Schoen Carbonneau, IOM
CEO
Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce
This is still only the peak of the iceberg of effects that we’re going to see under Initiated Measure 22’s narrow passage at the ballot box last week.
This poorly worded measure is attempting to make criminals out of everyone, leaving no one left who can serve without a conflict.
Wonder if any legislators will attend the South Dakota Retailers annual meeting the night before session begins. Not sure if retailers pay for them or they attend dutch.
Oh no, does this mean Kingsbury Beef Growers won’t have French dip sandwiches for a lunch this year? Will Sioux Falls’ Chamber not get to do their ice cream social?
Noooooo!
I’m not sure what is wrong with having a meeting or welcome event that doesn’t include food and drink, or having everyone who attends just pay their own bill? Why do you have to not have lunch with someone just because 1 of the parties can’t pay the entire bill? 2 checks is not hard to ask for.
Actually IM 22 could finally inspire South Dakotans to see the value in at least paying legislators a salary which keeps up with inflation. ($10,000 + in 2014 dollars) And think about how much weight won’t be gained by missing all that free food. Always a silver snarky lining.