Despite $215 Million dollars in the bank…
… tax and spend educators and politicians are close to winning a huge tax increase. Governor Daugaard convinced many “Republicans” to join him in his latest tax increase. $107 Million dollars per year will be taken from the pockets of South Dakota taxpayers to fund an increase in teacher pay. Never mind that school districts already have $215 million in their reserve accounts.
The red names in the photo above indicate those who voted against this new tax increase. I hope you take the time to thank them. Unfortunately, the vote will be “reconsidered”. One Republican has announced he will change his vote. That’s all Daugaard needs to pass this tax increase in the House. The only hope of stopping this bill in the House is for another “Republican” who voted yes to see the light, return to the Republican platform principles and change to a “no” vote.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people run as Republicans and ignore the principles of the Republican Prty Platform.
***Gordon Howie is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
“It’s not about right or left, it’s about Right or Wrong.”
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Eric, I know that teacher average in SD is 39k plus but this is still 50th of the 50 states. So you are saying this is acceptable. I think not. Starting salary could be as much as 29K. I don’t understand how the school boards think they can hire teachers in the state when starting teachers can go to the surrounding states and make much more 33K in Iowa, 34K in Minnesota, 44K in Wyoming, 47K in Nebraska. Sure SD is behind in many areas, but that doesn’t mean it should be. Billy Sutton had a better bill that should have been voted on and would not have been so expensive, and it would have dropped the sales tax on groceries which would have been a big help to low income folks. Maybe if we could afford to pay an acceptable wage we could fix the common core stuff, the new math, and history as it really was. sorry tired and rambling.
Jim, average teacher salary in South Dakota is about $40,000.00, with a pretty decent set of benefits and schedule. Average pay in South Dakota is about $38,000.00. Please justify why we should confiscate money from other people to give to those who are pretty much in line with the state’s average salary, and have better days off and benefits than most of their neighbors. I do value teachers. I actually just left the classroom ten minutes ago, as I do teach… in a slightly different environment, though. It isn’t an easy job. Neither is being a cop, a firefighter, a soldier, a logger…. the list goes on, but the pay is about the same. If we have core values, and principles, then it is very difficult to justify taxing others for a perceived wrong, which may not actually exist. Maybe we should spend some time exploring why the dollars we are earning, do not pay for much, anymore. That is an issue that government should fix. An issue state government should fix in education, is why kids are being taught garbage in common core. And, why I just spent an hour last night fixing history myths with my daughter. The garbage she was taught by a public school teacher about the American Revolution and Civil War (primary causes, etc…), was inexcusable. Our kids are having a political agenda shoved down their throats, and our state has not rejected common core. That’s something that needs to be addressed. Until some of that is addressed, you can cry me a river about teacher’s pay. This old infantry soldier isn’t buying it.
Gordon I think you are wrong. if the new tax actually goes to teacher salaries it’s a good thing they desperately need the boost. The 200 million in the bank is quite another deal. it’s hoarding by the board and administration, and would never be given as salary to the teachers who need it. This is the only thing that the governor has done in the last several years that is worth while, the only thing.