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Kyle, get back to work! Someone's hard drive needs...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 1 hour 17 min ago
Kyle, get back to work! Someone's hard drive needs you!
Of course, a half cut like Kyle's comment suggests is small potatoes compared to the $2 million someone in the legislature apparently wants to save by cutting the Opportunity Scholarship.
I do not advocate getting rid of the Student Tech ...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 2 hours 10 min ago
I do not advocate getting rid of the Student Tech Fellow program. However, as a current Tech Fellow, I can tell you that I do not earn my $20 an hour (at SDSU, anyway; I can't speak as to the other schools).
You are right in saying that we do vital work; someone must be available to provide tech support to faculty and staff. However, the knowledge required to do the job does not merit such a pay premium.
Why not pay the going rate for such services? Students would gladly work for $10 an hour. I did for a summer, doing exactly the same job I do now as a STF.
Perhaps the top 100 salaries in the regental system should have their salaries cut. Perhaps Dr. Chicoine should work for free this year. I really have no good knowledge of such affairs. I do know that cutting budgets is never fun, and no one wants to see their favorite projects get the axe.
However, the money must come from somewhere. I'm sure that there is waste elsewhere in the system, but I know for a fact there is significant waste in the (SDSU) Student Tech Fellow Program.
I'm not saying to kill the whole program. I'm not saying that it should be cut at all. I am saying that something must be done to make it worth its money. I am quite certain that the taxpayers don't want to pay $20 an hour to sit in an empty computer lab and type up this post.
Obama Splits SD Independents; SHS, Back the Prez!
Madville Times - 2 hours 41 min ago
That's curious: Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling reports that South Dakota is one of five states where President Obama gets positive approval numbers from Independents. The President's margin among South Dakota's independents is slim, just 45–44. But considering Obama lost South Dakota to McCain 45–53 and that there's been a lot more South Dakota activism in the past year declaring Obama a Marxist foreign usurper than anything else, his holding any positive margin with our Independents seems noteworthy.
That margin also suggests that if Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is trying to appeal to the middle to keep her seat this fall, she might do just as well to get on board with the President's agenda on big issues like health insurance reform. Who knows? Voting like a Democrat on the big issues might even reinvigorate a disenchanted base and get Dems out knocking on doors and raising cash for her.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
Obama Splits SD Independents; SHS, Back the Prez!
Madville Times: Latest Posts - 2 hours 41 min ago
That's curious: Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling reports that South Dakota is one of five states where President Obama gets positive approval numbers from Independents. The President's margin among South Dakota's independents is slim, just 45–44. But considering Obama lost South Dakota to McCain 45–53 and that there's been a lot more South Dakota activism in the past year declaring Obama a Marxist foreign usurper than anything else, his holding any positive margin with our Independents seems noteworthy.
That margin also suggests that if Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is trying to appeal to the middle to keep her seat this fall, she might do just as well to get on board with the President's agenda on big issues like health insurance reform. Who knows? Voting like a Democrat on the big issues might even reinvigorate a disenchanted base and get Dems out knocking on doors and raising cash for her.
David, if we fit the ID debate into the curriculum...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 4 hours 18 min ago
David, if we fit the ID debate into the curriculum, we'll probably have our young 'un read Behe and Kitzmiller v. Dover instead of watching Stein. Only so much time in the curriculum....
But just to make sure I'm reading you correctly (and I ask with no intent to gloat): are you saying you've moved away from your I.D. position?
SD Budget: Cut Top Salaries, Not the Tech Fellows
Madville Times - 4 hours 31 min ago
The GOP's proposed budget amendments include elimination of the Board of Regents Tech Fellows program. Savings would be $770,000.
I know a number of students who are Tech Fellows. They do good work, vital work for every campus. The Tech Fellows provide tech support for students and faculty. They set up and trobuleshoot computers. They figure out why you can't connect to the network or the printer or the projector. When a paper is due and a hard drive won't spin, these Tech Fellows might make the difference between meeting the deadline and someone jumping off the Campanile. (O.K., maybe I exaggerate, but you know the feeling.)
14 DSU students cover their tuition by working as Tech Fellows. On all six public campuses, the Tech Fellows provide a valuable service. (See the praise they get at Mines). They also get great job experience, fixing a wide variety of computers and other gear and building their customer service skills. These Tech Fellows will be the I.T. gods of whatever office they work in after graduation. Their everyday service to the universities is more valuable, I would argue, than the work I do as a graduate research assistant revising research articles and grant applications that most people on campus or off will probably never hear about. (Anyone want to suggest cutting graduate research assistants instead of Tech Fellows?)
Yes, the budget is tight. Yes, the Republicans have run South Dakota's finances into the ground and now have to cut services even further to balance the books.
But instead of cutting a service that does a world of good for students, faculty, and future employers, let's make cuts where we won't lose any services at all. Take the 100 top salaries in the Regental system. Cut $7,700 from each. Or cut $4,700 from each, and then have Dr. Chicoine work for free for the coming year. (He can coast on his benefits from Monsanto for a year, can't he?) Those cuts at the top wouldn't eliminate a single service—those administrators and other top officials would be unlikely to leave during a recession... and if they did, I suspect we can replace them pretty quickly.
Alas, our Legislature seems more focused on placing burdens on the folks at the bottom of the totem pole and not vexing the folks at the top.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
SD Budget: Cut Top Salaries, Not the Tech Fellows
Madville Times: Latest Posts - 4 hours 31 min ago
The GOP's proposed budget amendments include elimination of the Board of Regents Tech Fellows program. Savings would be $770,000.
I know a number of students who are Tech Fellows. They do good work, vital work for every campus. The Tech Fellows provide tech support for students and faculty. They set up and trobuleshoot computers. They figure out why you can't connect to the network or the printer or the projector. When a paper is due and a hard drive won't spin, these Tech Fellows might make the difference between meeting the deadline and someone jumping off the Campanile. (O.K., maybe I exaggerate, but you know the feeling.)
14 DSU students cover their tuition by working as Tech Fellows. On all six public campuses, the Tech Fellows provide a valuable service. (See the praise they get at Mines). They also get great job experience, fixing a wide variety of computers and other gear and building their customer service skills. These Tech Fellows will be the I.T. gods of whatever office they work in after graduation. Their everyday service to the universities is more valuable, I would argue, than the work I do as a graduate research assistant revising research articles and grant applications that most people on campus or off will probably never hear about. (Anyone want to suggest cutting graduate research assistants instead of Tech Fellows?)
Yes, the budget is tight. Yes, the Republicans have run South Dakota's finances into the ground and now have to cut services even further to balance the books.
But instead of cutting a service that does a world of good for students, faculty, and future employers, let's make cuts where we won't lose any services at all. Take the 100 top salaries in the Regental system. Cut $7,700 from each. Or cut $4,700 from each, and then have Dr. Chicoine work for free for the coming year. (He can coast on his benefits from Monsanto for a year, can't he?) Those cuts at the top wouldn't eliminate a single service—those administrators and other top officials would be unlikely to leave during a recession... and if they did, I suspect we can replace them pretty quickly.
Alas, our Legislature seems more focused on placing burdens on the folks at the bottom of the totem pole and not vexing the folks at the top.
SD GOP Rushes Last-Minute Budget Cuts to Avoid Public Input
Madville Times - 5 hours 6 min ago
I recall various Republicans crying foul over the climate change and health insurance reform bills pending in Congress. Too big, too partisan, too many deals behind closed doors, too much thrown in at the last minute....
But that's exactly how the Republicans cobble together South Dakota's state budget. They negotiate budget cuts in a wholly partisan process behind closed doors. They wait until a week before the end of the session to announce their general plan. They start piling amendments onto the budget bill during the last couple days of the session, when they will face no committee hearing and offer no opportunity for public testimony and minimal opportunity for lobbying.
The Republicans do this, says Representative Susan Wismer (D-1/Britton), "so as not to attract any more negative attention than necessary before they make the amendments."
If I governed that badly, I guess I'd try to hide from the public, too.
Good for the goose, good for the gander. Republicans, the federal climate change and health insurance reform bills have been out in the open for months. Your South Dakota budget cuts have been available for not even 24 hours, and you're going to pass them before the weekend. Your whining is as ridiculous as your own closed-door governing style.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
SD GOP Rushes Last-Minute Budget Cuts to Avoid Public Input
Madville Times: Latest Posts - 5 hours 6 min ago
I recall various Republicans crying foul over the climate change and health insurance reform bills pending in Congress. Too big, too partisan, too many deals behind closed doors, too much thrown in at the last minute....
But that's exactly how the Republicans cobble together South Dakota's state budget. They negotiate budget cuts in a wholly partisan process behind closed doors. They wait until a week before the end of the session to announce their general plan. They start piling amendments onto the budget bill during the last couple days of the session, when they will face no committee hearing and offer no opportunity for public testimony and minimal opportunity for lobbying.
The Republicans do this, says Representative Susan Wismer (D-1/Britton), "so as not to attract any more negative attention than necessary before they make the amendments."
If I governed that badly, I guess I'd try to hide from the public, too.
Good for the goose, good for the gander. Republicans, the federal climate change and health insurance reform bills have been out in the open for months. Your South Dakota budget cuts have been available for not even 24 hours, and you're going to pass them before the weekend. Your whining is as ridiculous as your own closed-door governing style.
SD House Withholds $4.5 Million from Kids, Hands $38 Million to Foreign Oil
Madville Times - 5 hours 26 min ago
As the South Dakota Legislature moves toward negating the annual funding increase promised to K-12 schools by state law, consider this:
- In voting for the hoghoused Senate Bill 22, the State House would save 1.2%.
- According to the governor's budget book, total state aid this year is $375 million.
- 1.2% of that figure is $4.5 million.*
- At the same time, the House hoghoused Senate Bill 195 to make sure that TransCanada still gets big tax refund on its Keystone pipeline. One source tells me that refund is worth $38 million.
The conference committee that will attempt to reconcile Senate Bill 22 is an even split for and against the zero increase: Senator Garnos and Reps. Faehn and Noem (ayes) and Senators Knudson and Nesselhuf and Rep. Lucas (nays). Worth noting: Knudson has been trying to make pipelines ineligible for tax refunds.
By the way, local Senator Russell Olson voted yesterday for the zero increase.
--------------------------------
*Update 08:13 CST: The new GOP list of budget amendments includes two amendments (mh and mi) to restore the 1.2% increase. By their figures, those increases could mean $10.9M to $18.5M more for K-12 education.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
SD House Withholds $4.5 Million from Kids, Hands $38 Million to Foreign Oil
Madville Times: Latest Posts - 5 hours 26 min ago
As the South Dakota Legislature moves toward negating the annual funding increase promised to K-12 schools by state law, consider this:
- In voting for the hoghoused Senate Bill 22, the State House would save 1.2%.
- According to the governor's budget book, total state aid this year is $375 million.
- 1.2% of that figure is $4.5 million.*
- At the same time, the House hoghoused Senate Bill 195 to make sure that TransCanada still gets big tax refund on its Keystone pipeline. One source tells me that refund is worth $38 million.
The conference committee that will attempt to reconcile Senate Bill 22 is an even split for and against the zero increase: Senator Garnos and Reps. Faehn and Noem (ayes) and Senators Knudson and Nesselhuf and Rep. Lucas (nays). Worth noting: Knudson has been trying to make pipelines ineligible for tax refunds.
By the way, local Senator Russell Olson voted yesterday for the zero increase.
--------------------------------
*Update 08:13 CST: The new GOP list of budget amendments includes two amendments (mh and mi) to restore the 1.2% increase. By their figures, those increases could mean $10.9M to $18.5M more for K-12 education.
Good point, Roger! The couple of months I spent be...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 6 hours 5 min ago
Good point, Roger! The couple of months I spent between dropping out of my first semester and then going back in Janaury helped me get things in perspective and figure out exactly why I wanted to go to university. Some time off to work and experiment and think right after high school would save lots of kids a wasted semester or two.
Joe, I don't read as much of the foreign press as ...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 6 hours 10 min ago
Joe, I don't read as much of the foreign press as I ought. Good recommendation!
On the possible bias of the poll: as I noted, it's a lefty source, but ultra-right Ellis cites it as gospel, so it appears to be fair game.
Roger, I'm only operating withing the parameters of Ellis's faulty interpretation.
Why are streets bad in Sioux Falls? Because Munson and the City council squandered our 2nd penny on stuff we didn’t need instead of the roads
South Dacola - 6 hours 15 min ago
Don’t let King Dave and the rubberstamp council fool yah, it takes more then one snowstorm and one rainstorm to turn our streets into a battleground;
“Potholes aren’t that serious. We just had a bad winter. That’s all.” I recently heard that comment on the evening news. Well, I think the potholes are serious. In fact, the streets in Sioux Falls are horrible. And they have been that way for years.
I have been saying that for years, while our street infrastructure has been crumbling for years, Munson and the city council have been spending our 2nd penny, which should be allocated for streets instead of things we don’t need, like monkey crappers. But now they are all of sudden ‘Fiscal Conservatives’ that are gonna fix our streets. Give me a fucking break. It’s kinda like diagnosing Cancer too late, there is no ‘Catch Up.’
These poor road conditions weighed heavily on my decision to move. I was born and raised in South Dakota and lived, worked and spent my paychecks here for the past 15 years. But no more. I see where the city’s priorities are. The money that went to beautify Falls Park and downtown should have gone to fixing the roads.
I have had enough. I hate driving here, but I am going to enjoy driving away from here.
Can I hitch a ride? My front end went out on my car.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
Staggers, a proven record
South Dacola - 6 hours 24 min ago
This letter writer seems to get it;
Too many candidates espouse fiscal prudence only when they are running for election. Staggers’ entire record shows he can be trusted to responsibly manage and allocate our taxpayer dollars.
Heck, we even had Sweet Vernon ‘The Velvet Hammer’ Brown coming out saying he is a fiscal conservative. This letter writer is correct, just look at Kermit’s voting record, he has consistently voted against unneeded spending.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
Unemployment rising in Sioux Falls? No surprise.
South Dacola - 6 hours 29 min ago
I said it all along, just because the recession hit us late doesn’t mean it will leave early, in fact, I think it will take Sioux Falls longer to recover, just like in the 1990’s. But don’t take my word on it, just listen to Augustana economics professor Nesiba;
He said that one of the problems particular to Sioux Falls is not so much unemployment – which tends to be lower than in many parts of the country – but “persistently low wages.“
This has been a problem for a long, long time. Even when times are good, it seems business finds a way to keep wages low here.
“There are plenty of people in Sioux Falls that have multiple jobs,” Nesiba said. “Women with school-aged children here have high labor force participation rates. It isn’t because this is such a great place to work. It’s because two or three incomes are needed to get by.”
I can’t even remember in the 18 years I have lived in Sioux Falls that I did not have at least two jobs, at one time I even had four. For someone who is single, there really is no reason I should have to have two jobs to get by.
With a U.S. population of 300 million and a labor supply of about 150 million people, a 10 percent national unemployment rate means you have 15 million people out of work, Nesiba says.
“If you add in discouraged workers who have dropped off unemployment rolls or those who want more work, you get a number like 16 percent unemployment,” he said. “That’s a lot of people we need to put back to work.”
Those are the secret numbers that neither Washington, Pierre or SF City Hall want you to know about.
Nesiba said that even if the country could add 200,000 or 300,000 jobs per month – a rate not seen for a long time – a high unemployment rate is probable for years to come.
“I fear we’re going to have high and persistent unemployment for some time,” he said. “The advantage in South Dakota, and Sioux Falls in particular, is that we have lower unemployment than the rest of the nation. But the question is, how do we create higher living wages and jobs for middle-class people? I don’t see the leadership at the state or city level for that.“
That’s because the State’s and Sioux Falls’ motto has always been, “Business first, citizens second.” They are all bought and paid for. Just look at Pat Costello’s donor list. I hope Sioux Falls residents wake up and elect an honest fiscally conservative mayor and council for once.
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
And yet the city wants to make sure that this 6% s...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 8 hours 6 min ago
And yet the city wants to make sure that this 6% still has to come through and maintain their sidewalks......
Although I'm not against people having to maintain their property, it just that something like this could wait a couple more years before being implemented.
Sorry, meant to add that the Pew Poll was released...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 8 hours 6 min ago
Sorry, meant to add that the Pew Poll was released in July 2009 which means it was conducted probably in April or May, well before his Falkland Island problem
and other problems with Great Britain, the EU, and several nations in Asia. Read the foreign papers.
Joseph G Thompson
PS Remember I voted for him
Joseph G Thompson
Cori, don't yeah think the poll is somewhat biased...
Madville Times: Latest Comments - 8 hours 23 min ago
Cori,
don't yeah think the poll is somewhat biased?
James Carville and Stanley Greenberg.
Joseph G Thompson
Pat Costello; Poor choice for Sioux Falls mayor
South Dacola - 10 hours 39 min ago
I think this photo says it all.
When you have one of the wealthiest, arrogant, big mouths in the community pulling for you, it tells you who Pat Costello would represent. NOT YOU. Don’t believe me? Just go to his donor list. Why would some of the richest movers and shakers and biggest developers in Sioux Falls be giving money to Pat? Because they like him? Because they care about us? BAHAHAHAHA! It’s called ‘Favors’. That is why there is NO universal healthcare or public option in the current ‘healthcare reform’ legislation. Big insurance and Big pharma bought off both Dems and Republicants. And that is what is going on with Pat, they are buying him. That’s what scares the shit out of me with these guys. Remember, the guy above (Dana Dykhouse, President of First Premier Bank) is the one that sent the threatening email to councilor Staggers accusing him of ‘Class Warfare’ and ‘Organizing Opponents’ when it came to the Events Center. Kermit never organized anything, Kermit is a listener not an organizer. He’s a leader not flamethrower. This is also an interesting twist. Why isn’t Dana supporting his fellow co-worker Mike Huether? And if Huether is in the run-off with Costello, what then? Or if Huether is in the run-off with Staggers, who will Dana support? Weird, Weird, Weird. As Mike said to me once (as I tried to control myself from not laughing in his face) “I won’t do the bidding of Denny Sanford.” Uh. Probably not, since he is paying Costello to do it for him. Why would he give you money? You already know he is a crook. I just wish Mike would come out and say it. Be a badass for once!
But besides Pat’s disgustingly top heavy donor list, he really doesn’t have the resume to be a mayor. He worked one year as a CPA, he invested his silver spoon money in a bar (that has some of the highest police calls in the city) and a hamburger shop and that is about all he has accomplished. It’s easy to be successful in business when you have a lot of money to begin with to invest. He also flip-flops a lot on his votes. Just watch the council meetings, no consistency, no strong stances. Nothing but a shaved face and a good smile.
So I say to Pat, “Shut up and go make some croutons!”
Categories: SD Political Blog MegaMix
