South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

State Legislature

Rounds State Legislature

A Rounds tradition; rewarding friends and family

l3wis 7Comments

Like this is some sort of surprise;

Gov. Mike Rounds has appointed Kristin Conzet, the daughter of a business partner of his, to replace Republican state Rep. Brian Dreyer of Rapid City, who resigned earlier this fall because of his pending deployment with the National Guard to Afghanistan.

Because, you know, #1 it would be virtually impossible to find some other Republican in that district that is qualified, and #2 and someone who will do Mike’s bidding.

Conzet said she requested that Rounds not highlight the relationship when he announced her appointment.

Oh really? I can’t imagine why? Maybe because you know it is unethical? Oh, that’s right, Republicans only talk ethics and morals, they don’t practice them.

Conzet also feels she has no conflict of interest in voting on legislation that could affect Fischer Rounds. Heidepreim agrees, since Conzet is not involved in the partnership.

Come on Scott! You gotta be kidding?! Yeah, it’s only her father’s company, and she was appointed by her father’s partner. If she was written out of the will, I would agree, but I doubt it.

Once again, Rounds proves he has no shame, and the Democrats let him walk all over them.

SF City Council Sioux Falls State Legislature

THE SIOUX FALLS CITY COUNCIL’S PRIORITIES FOR THE 2010 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

l3wis 5Comments

This is an interesting list, to say the least;

  • The Sioux Falls City Council strongly encourages the legislature to enact enabling legislation which allows municipalities to levy a local option tax, to raise funds for a specified purpose, to include a sunset clause, and to be voted on by the citizens.
  • The Sioux Falls City Council strongly encourages the legislature to ensure adequate funding to meet transportation needs.
  • The Sioux Falls City Council, in conjunction with the South Dakota Municipal League, encourages standards be developed to provide equal 911 service to all citizens and visitors, and encourages cooperative efforts to improve 911 services and efficiency.
  • The Sioux Falls City Council strongly encourages the legislature to continue to support a statewide ban on smoking in all enclosed workplaces, public buildings, restaurants, bars, and casinos.
  • The Sioux Falls City Council strongly encourages the legislature to make it permissible, convenient, and affordable to conduct background checks by establishing and maintaining an internet website containing South Dakota public criminal history for accessing information by any person who intends to access the website to obtain information regarding an applicant for employment, housing, or credit. The South Dakota criminal information would be added/available to the national database.
  • The Sioux Falls City Council strongly encourages the legislature to allow cities and counties to pool their resources through the bid process to aggregately purchase supplies and/or building materials.
Rounds South Dakotans State Funding State Legislature

State doesn’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out

l3wis 3Comments

ikeacovinatoilet

Were broke? Get outta here!

Revenue to the state treasury is falling and more people are enrolling in Medicaid, triggering significant demands on the entitlement program. Although the state has federal stimulus money to shore up finances in the 2011 budget, which starts July 1, 2010, the federal money won’t be enough to backfill the budget unless there is a major turnaround in the economy.

Well, that’s what you get when you don’t attract young workers to our state to help pay for the program, that, and we think taxing food is a good way to fund government.

The five major revenue sources to the state are down in the first three months of the current fiscal year that started July 1. Combined, they represent 90 percent of the state’s general fund revenues. The most important – sales tax – was down $33 million or 5.2 percent.

It’s time the state implemented an income tax, got rid of retail taxes and reduced property taxes. We’ll see what solutions are offered;

Bernie Hunhoff, the Democratic minority leader in the House, said his party will have ideas about what to do. “Democrats are here to work with the governor and with the Republicans to get South Dakota out of this,” Hunhoff said. “It’s not one party’s problem; it’s South Dakota’s problem.” The slowdown in state revenues reflects the pain felt on family farms and main street, Hunhoff said. The situation could call for across-the-board cuts. “Unless we really see an immediate rebound in revenues, the hole is getting so deep that everybody is going to have to share in the pain and sacrifice,” he said.

That’s why an income tax makes sense, it makes everyone share that sacrifice fairly. Abdallah wants to touch the sacred cow, better be careful, or King Rounds will cut your fingers off.

Republican Sen. Gene Abdallah said he wants a thorough accounting of how much money is in each of the state’s reserve funds, including some of the more obscure funds, before he’ll be ready to consider more cuts.

I agree it is time to dip into the reserves, that’s what they are there for, a rainy day.

State Funding State Legislature

Tonights South Dakota Focus

l3wis 3Comments

This looks like and interesting program tonight

Join us for our Oct. 22nd South Dakota Focus as we zero in on stimulus dollars. So Far South Dakota has spent $219-million dollars out of the $632-million given to the state. We will talk about where the money was spent and what is left. Also to be discussed  the state of the nations economic crisis and if  the recession is weakening. You can call in with your own questions and comments. It’s a stimulus update program on our Oct. 22nd South Dakota Focus at 8:00pm CT / 7pm Mt. You can also watch online at http://www.facebook.com/l/beb28;www.sdpb.org . Email us your questions to sdfocus@sdpb.org or call in live during the broadcast 1.http://www.facebook.com/l/beb28;877.825.5788

On the program:

Commissioner Jason Dilges – SD Bureau of Finance and Management
Sen. Jean Hunhoff ( R ) Yankton
Rep. Larry Tidemann ( R ) Brookings
Via phone: Dave Munson – Mayor of Sioux Falls
Via Phone: Jerry Krambeck – Mayor of Spearfish

For more information:
Bureau of Finance and Management
http://www.facebook.com/l/beb28;www.state.sd.us/bfm/

Jason Dilges, Commissioner
Bureau of Finance and Management
500 East Capital Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605)773-3411 Fax: (605) 773-4711
bfminfo@state.sd.us

South Dakota Recovery Website
http://www.facebook.com/l/beb28;recovery.sd.gov/

South Dakotans State Funding State Legislature

The SD Legislature actually has a fair taxable idea, let’s see if the rest of the yahoos support it

l3wis 4Comments

From StormLand TV News:

A South Dakota legislative committee has recommended a substantial boost in taxes used to build and maintain state and local roads, but some lawmakers say the full Legislature will never pass such a large tax increase.

The panel voted 11-6 to pass a bill that would raise road taxes in two stages, with half the increase imposed next year and the other half in 2012.

The state gas tax would rise from 22 cents to 32 cents a gallon and the excise tax on vehicle sales would increase from 3 percent to 4 percent by 2012 to give the state an extra $75 million a year.

Annual vehicle registration fees would rise to give counties, cities and townships an additional $31 million.

While new taxes are never good, I still think that a gas tax and vehicle registration fees are the fairest way to pay for roads. Of course, I’m sure some legislators would prefer to pay for new roads by taxing food more.

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