Tale of a TIF Teardown
I don’t believe a business can finance a, demanded by law, political campaign for a TIF project that can be turned down by public opinion. I believe that State Sen. Taffy Howard’s TIF reform legislation would terminate any hope for a TIF project above $15 million. That is a populist retaliation to a successful financial […]
Support the Libertyland USA TIF District in Rapid City, South Dakota
Why Tax Increment Financing Matters for Rapid City’s Growth I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed TIF district for Libertyland USA in Rapid City, South Dakota. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a proven tool for capital formation, and South Dakota’s successful track record over 400 districts since the 1970s shows its […]
Landowner Statement
South Dakota property tax reform and current SDGOP leadership review.
Freedom to Teach
I have a memory, one of my few from my early school years, of a Science lesson. It was one in which we students were encouraged to make a speech about a subject of particular interest to us; I think we were being graded on our presentation skills. I got up and spoke for about […]
Snorting for Truffles
The 2016 session of the South Dakota Legislature is well underway and we are already seeing hoards of well-funded representatives from interest groups arriving in our state capital. They fly in to Pierre Airport on those private jets that are normally strangers to our runways. They walk through Mustang Aviation and head off to their […]
Blue Ribbon Bust!
“First, we want a quality system of schools focused on student achievement. Second, we want a workforce of great educators. Finally, we want an efficient, equitable funding system that supports those goals… We need to understand where teacher shortages are occurring and what can be done to address them. We need to ask why 12 states can spend less per student than South […]
The Fantasies of Weiland
Let me cast an eye and opinion upon Senatorial candidate Mr. Rick Weiland’s campaign website. Mr. Weiland is running for South Dakota’s U.S. Senate seat, meaning to replace Senator Tim Johnson who is retiring. Weiland declares “Take it back!” as his campaign slogan. His single stated priority is the desire to take our country and […]
The People’s House
The House Membership was last increased one hundred years ago, and the constituencies have inflated to abusive levels. Today, 312 million people are represented in the House of Representatives by only 435 voting members. We have the second largest voting districts for lower houses in the world, behind only India. Yet even though every ten […]
The End Run Pass
It will require break the mold initiatives and iron political will on the part of states to undertake a human capital reform agenda — and, accordingly, the Department has assigned the big points and promised the big money for this tough work. – A Race to the Top Scorecard, NCTQ A Race to the Top […]
Bored of Regents
A press release from the South Dakota Board of Regents on Thursday, December 5th announced a completed study and now predicts a shortage of home grown college graduates to meet a projected demand from the state job market over the next two decades. I should choke on a hotdog while watching a football game at […]