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Voters caught in the middle as political parties unite against open primaries
Just when we thought bipartisanship was dead in South Dakota, Democrats have joined Republicans in opposing Amendment H. That amendment, on the ballot in November, creates what detractors are calling a “jungle primary.” All candidates for office at the gubernatorial, congressional, legislative and county levels would be listed on the primary ballot, regardless of party […]
Legislators should plan for sales tax ballot measure’s impact, not politicize it
The short-sighted nature of South Dakota’s Legislature is coming back around to bite them right in the wallet. In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers chose to temporarily cut the state sales tax from 4.5% to 4.2% until 2027, betting that the state budget could handle the estimated $100 million annual loss in revenue. They did […]
Legislative interest in statewide school cellphone ban underscores myth of local control
It’s like something out of one of those old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals: “Hey gang, my dad’s got a barn! Let’s put on a show!” Instead of putting on a show, the state’s Department of Education and some legislators are eager to follow in the footsteps of several school districts that have banned students from […]
Attempts to influence GF&P are a reminder: Wildlife belongs to everyone
During retirement, one of my freelance assignments was covering the Legislature for the South Dakota Newspaper Association. I enjoyed the work, though the weekly travel from my home in Brookings was daunting. One day, having just arrived in Pierre and making my way through the Capitol, I saw some officials from the Game, Fish and […]
Gannett has few journalists, but plenty of lawyers
It was just a year ago that this space was used to question Gannett’s business plan for its newspapers in South Dakota. A declining amount of local news in the Gannett papers — the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, the Watertown Public Opinion and the Aberdeen American News — fostered an effort to change the laws […]
Praising free speech while trampling on it
It was Newspaper Day 2020 at the South Dakota Legislature. The morning was filled with press conferences featuring the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties. Then newspaper editors and publishers hosted a lunch at the Ramkota for their legislators, using the time to explain why House Bill 1241, which sought to change the definition […]
Challenge accepted: Reading Noem’s book yields even more damning info
Like many South Dakotans, I was intrigued by Gov. Kristi Noem’s chances for being selected as Donald Trump’s running mate, and I paid attention to the release of her book, “No Going Back.” When her promotional appearances turned into the book tour from hell, it was hard to look away. During an interview with Stuart […]
Primary upsets could cause a hard right turn in the Legislature
It has been known for some time that there are two Republican parties in the South Dakota Legislature. Now one of them is getting bigger. The Republican primary earlier this month saw 14 legislators defeated. Add to that 21 Republican legislators who chose not to seek reelection or were term-limited in their chamber and did […]
With marijuana on the ballot, it’s not just about good times. It’s also about money.
To the casual observer, it might look like South Dakotans are addicted to voting on recreational marijuana. Legalizing grass was on the ballot in 2020, 2022 and will be again in 2024. For the backers of legalized marijuana, the high point came in 2020 when voters here approved a constitutional amendment with 54% of the […]
The funding of a civic engagement center is its own civics lesson
Rep. Scott Odenbach has to wonder why he went to so much trouble. The Spearfish Republican was the driving force behind two legislative attempts to create a center for civic engagement at Black Hills State University. Little did he know, all he had to do was put in a good word with the Joint Appropriations […]
What further Trump sins and crimes will SD’s highest elected officials excuse?
There used to be a time when you could count on how Republicans would react to the news of the day. They stood for the rule of law and high moral standards. Through the Trump years we have seen those standards erode and vanish in other states. Recently the Trumpian infection was on full display […]
This year’s closed Republican primary could be the last of its kind in South Dakota
Tuesday’s primary election could be the last of its kind in South Dakota. In November, voters will consider Constitutional Amendment H which, if approved, would drastically change the way primaries are conducted in this state. Amendment H would open the primaries to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation or the lack of party affiliation. […]