Apparently Elizabeth May does not understand that schools have already signed contracts for this year with teachers, and compensation is locked in for the next year. She’s back calling for a special session again.
From Today’s KCCR:
Representative May Calling For A Special Session, Again
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.
That’s the motto of Rep. Elizabeth May of Kyle today as she has a new proposal that seeks to address the teacher shortage facing South Dakota school districts.
May is proposing that the Legislature dedicate the $21 Million state surplus to an incentive program intended to draw experienced teachers out of retirement.
Here’s an idea: why don’t we stop calling special sessions, and let’s see how much taxpayers save on postage?
Very good idea, Representative May. Why didn’t the Governor’s son in law come up with such a solution? I believe it is because the Governor created this crisis in order to get the Legislature to pass another tax increase. Nepotism certainly isn’t conservative and does not foster conservative policies.
Jesus. Are you people that paranoid?
I’m not for a special session (waste of time and money) but I do believe the comment above has it right about the Governor’s son in law being a big part of the problem.
The blue ribbon task force is fine but his email on behalf of a couple of other legislators telling elected members of the house and senate to be observers and not comment crossed a serious line.
Honestly I would like to see Liz May bring a bill this next session that bans nepotism in the governor’s office. I’m sure it would get a lot of media coverage (I’m sure it wouldn’t pass) and the people of this state would agree 80%-20%.
I wonder how much money the BRTF has spent?? What is their funding source?
Why haven’t the democrats proposed an initiative banning nepotism? That could be a wedge issue for them against both Rounds and Daugaard in the next general election.
Probably because that could reignite the issue of Tim Johnson and his son Brendan. And IMO Brendan is sitting out politics for a few years hoping that issue will go away and then he will get back in.
I admire her tenacity
However this is still a good example of a bad idea
I hate to stay off topic.. But: come on, the governor has every right to surround himself with personal advisers that he trusts the utmost. If those people are friends, business associates or family members it shouldn’t matter. Advisers don’t run any part of the bureaucracy.
Yea, the democrats have no standard lines that should not be crossed either. Good point.
A $21 million incentive program isn’t going to fix the problem. Consolidating schools or halving the paying of all administrators or eliminating all extracurricular activities isn’t going to do it. The problem is significantly bigger than all of that. South Dakota pays substantially below market wages for teachers across the board, so the market is sending them to other states. That results in a teacher shortage. It’s capitalism 101.
The problem isn’t the message, it’s the messenger. May has lost all respect with her fellow legislators. Does she seriously believe she commands even an ounce of political capital after her threats to her fellow legislators? Because May doesn’t have the foggiest notion how to use the power granted her by her constituents, she has squandered it away. All that’s left is the whiney shell of a legislator.
May is actually attempting to solve the teacher shortage that is the battle cry of the folks who want to raise taxes. Her solution of paying retired and experienced teachers part of the $21 million would likely fill the vacant teaching positions, so the children of South Dakota would have good, experienced teachers instead of substitutes with no qualifications.
May should not sweat the condemnation from the Legislators who are offended, as their ineptitude is on full display while the children suffer. I am certain May is not hurt by the threats and intimidation placed on this website. It simply demonstrates the level of gutter, personal attacks of those who are defending their inabilities to problem solve.
“who are defending their inabilities to problem solve”
Or, to solve problems?
Maybe there really isn’t a problem??? Liberals love to create and inflame a hysterical strawman,
and then claim to have the solutions. Naturally, these “solutions” usually involve a lot of taxpayer money.
“Apparently Elizabeth May does not understand that schools have already signed contracts for this year with teachers, and compensation is locked in for the next year. ”
Maybe…maybe not.
Corey Heildelberger claimed that he resigned from Spearfish schools for the following year, before he was offered a contract for the following year! One cannot “resign” from a position for the following year for which no contract has been offered! Of course, far be it for Corey to lie about his employment situations???!!!!
Was Ms. May a student of Corey’s?