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Gregg Jamison State Legislature

Is Sioux Falls City Councilor Jamison going to run for State House?

l3wis 4Comments

g_jamison_2010

Dakota Wuss College confirmed that Greg will run for House in District 12, with no primary challenge at this point.

On the Democratic side, Casey Murschel is taking another run at it.

Greg and I had a rocky start when he first got on the council, in fact, I felt like his seat was a coronation from his father. But in his second term, I have felt he had come around and grown as a city legislator, and has become his own lawmaker, and I have appreciated his leadership over the past 4 years.

He would make a great legislator and be a strong voice for Sioux Falls in Pierre.

SF School District South Dakotans State Funding State Legislature Taxes

Last in Pay

l3wis 13Comments

One of the big arguments that comes up with bringing up teacher pay is bringing up the pay of other professionals. Is it fair to raise taxes on all of these OTHER professionals so teachers can get paid more? As I have said, it is purely ignorant to raise regressive sales taxes for teacher pay when the money is already there (heck, probably sitting in reserves). This is about presenting intelligent plans to raise teacher pay, not knee jerk reactions. People want this increase SO bad, they are willing to fall back on fiscally irresponsible and ignorant taxation plans to get it. That my friends is called GREED.

Let’s pay teachers more, but let’s pay everybody else more to, because if that happens, there will be plenty of school funding sources to go around.

I hope the sales tax plan fails on Monday, but I also hope a doable plan comes forward without raising sales taxes.

lastinpay

State Legislature

Cameraman Bruce’s Trip to Pierre, Part II-III, Feb 18, 2016

l3wis 1Comments

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajE_Zay1DSc[/youtube]

HB1195 is not more. It’s amazing how a simple idea to clean-up crappy government can get totally blown away by a lobbyist not understanding the issues. Oh well Cameraman Bruce will be back but better prepared to do the work.

A simple, clear and concise rule is already in state law to guide the SD Attorney General for writing statewide ballot language. I most local elections it is also followed but in Sioux Falls the overactive marketing department disguised as a city attorney’s office doesn’t think they need to follow the same rules.

Our Cameraman Bruce went to Pierre on February 18, 2016 to testify before the SD House Local Government Committee on three bills. This video is the second of three videos to show how the process works for other citizens wishing to present their testimonies to a legislative committee.

HB 1195 was placed in the hopper by District 15 Rep Patrick Kirschman to plug one of many loopholes Home Rule Charter communities are allowed to punched their way around.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyXj5L454WM[/youtube]

Cameraman Bruce rounds out his trip to the House Local Government Committee in Pierre on February 18, 2015 with his testimony on HB 1196. This third bill before the committee was an attempt through legislation to plug another South Dakota Home Rule Charter hole.

HB 1196 was an attempt to close the purview hole found by petitioners. When a petition is submitted to a city attorney for ballot preparation, the city attorney and administration can change the meaning and intent without any oversight by the petitioners. The 2014 city election had the 4 ballot measures submitted by the public. The City Attorney modified each one and would not allow the public to challenge.

This is not acceptable and Citizens for Integrity went to Pierre to see how changes could be made to the process. This day in Pierre was not successful this time but as with any adventure, the first steps are sometimes the hardest. These issues will be addressed with more in the future. As we look into the continuing malfeasance of our higher government officials, we will find ways to counter.

The best parts of the day included the three videos and the shows of support we received behind the scenes in Pierre. Cameraman Bruce and his team will continue to move good government into the public eye. Home Rule Charter abuses must be countered.

State Legislature

Cameraman Bruce’s Trip to Pierre, Part I, Feb 18, 2016

l3wis 1Comments

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbsbfIGryKA[/youtube]

Our Cameraman Bruce went to Pierre on February 18, 2016 to testify before the SD House Local Government Committee on three bills. This video is the first of three videos to show how the process works for other citizens wishing to present their testimonies to a legislative committee.

The three bills, HB 1194, HB 1195 and HB 1196 were placed in the hopper by District 15 Rep Patrick Kirschman to three of the many loopholes Home Rule Charter communities are allowed to push their weight around.

Sioux Falls with its over staffed City Attorney’s office and compliant City Council has become a trendsetter in abusing citizen rights. We have to close the doors to legalized citizen rights abuse through the poorly written Home Rule Charter. The individuals who put the Home Rule Charter on the 1994 ballot believed in the better values of the leaders so many guarantees we now need were never included.

When this legislation did not make it out of committee Bruce was disappointed but not defeated. This was his first legislative testimony since 1973, this experience has given new energy to how to fix many of the systemic abuses we have been uncovering.

State Funding State Legislature Taxes

Governor’s ‘Ignorant’ Pay Teacher plan fails by one vote

l3wis 4Comments

I guess I am not really elated, it should have failed by a lot more. There will be a reconsideration tomorrow. There was one excused vote today. It could still eventually pass.

I have said from the beginning any plan that uses an increase in sales taxes is short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible.

Think about it, just for a moment. While almost half of school kids in the SF School District get free or reduced lunches (because their parents are living in poverty and can’t afford to buy food) the solution for higher teacher pay is to RAISE the tax on food that these student’s parents can’t afford. I guess as long as teacher’s can afford to buy themselves lunch, the FEDs will continue to feed the needy.

There are options, SEVERAL options;

• Use 100% of lottery money to fund education by upping the state’s take.

• Equalize school administrator pay with teacher pay (we are 26th in the nation for admin pay).

• Reduce reserves of school districts and funnel that money towards teacher pay. I have never understood putting tax dollars in savings accounts. Either spend it, or give it back.

• Eliminate several sales tax exemptions like on advertising.

• Equalize ag land property taxes with urban taxes. Let’s face it, farming is more and more a corporate venture not a small family business.

• Implement more taxes on tourism.

We have options, hundreds of options. Raising taxes on food, utilities and clothing is short sighted and counter productive. Let’s raise teacher pay, but let’s do it in an educated way and responsibly.

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