While I am willing to listen, and am all for property tax cuts or at least making them manageable, the legislature will probably find a reach around with opt-outs. Once again, if the citizens need changes in tax policy they have to do it themselves because the idiot convention in Pierre ain’t cutting it;
To give you, our faithful readers, a leg up in this week’s contest, here is a peek at one of tonight’s questions: “Fact or Crap”? Since August 1st, reversing a long-term trend, the South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP) has added almost 1500 Democrats to the State’s voter roll………Fact!!! It may be a baby step, but at least it’s movement in the right direction in the absolute sense. Congratulations to Dan Ahlers, the SDDP’s Executive Director, and the SDDP’s leadership. But, before euphoria sets in, you might want to compare the Democratic increase in registrants to the over 6000 registrants the Republican Party added to the State’s voter roll over the same period of time.
I have been encouraged by some Democrats to be more positive, so on the positive side, voters may be choosing the Republican party 4 to 1 over the Democratic party when they register to vote but at least Democrats are gaining not losing voters anymore.
In Politics: Nationally: The race for President is too close to give anyone comfort. The very thought that Donald Trump might win makes me ill.
I have turned to tequila for its beneficial characteristics.
In Politics: South Dakota: The South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP) finally issued an October press release. It properly honored Senator Tim Johnson, who passed on October 9th, for his service to South Dakota and our Country. Senator Johnson truly was a steady ship on the rough political seas of our times. Selfless, honest and hardworking seem universal accolades in everyone’s tributes to him. His leadership will be missed. It seems we have lost too many leaders in the last year or so, Jim Abourzek, Harvey Wollman, Jack Billion, Jim Burg, and now Tim Johnson.
I can’t predict the presidential race, but I can very much guarantee Harris will win the popular vote by over 10 million. Unfortunately we act like this is 1910 and we use an old out dated electoral system based on pony express, so yes, MAGAts, your guy has a chance.
I think the Dems will take the house and the Repugs take the Senate.
As for the local referendums, initiatives, referrals and amendments, let’s go!
• CON AMEND E, this has to do with changing gender in our Constitution to include women. While I believe this will pass by 80% of the vote, don’t be surprised to see a ton of undervotes. I had a prominent Democrat woman tell me she voted NO. She said, I served many years, and the state constitution didn’t prevent me from serving.
• CON AMEND F, this has to do with changing Medicaid to have a work requirement. We have a 2.1% unemployment rate in SD, anybody who isn’t working CAN’T. I think this will fail by 55%. People in this state have a problem with the legislature messing with our initiatives.
• REF LAW 21, this will also go down in flames with the landowners winning. I think it will fail by 70% of the vote or more, same as above, screw our legislature and how out of touch they are with our issues.
• IM29, Legalizing Rec MJ, unfortunately polling has been erratic, but the pot folks haven’t seen a positive yet and I think they are losing ground, unfortunately, this will probably fail by 52%. I guess peeps will just have to keep smoking diet weed. Hopefully when pot gets ready for retail sales in Minnesota they will have bus tours to Luverne. I still think if Harris makes it in the WH, we will get Federal legalization within 5 years, and many peeps minor pot felonies will be erased from their records.
• IM 28, eliminating food tax. I have been enjoying all the Republican lawmakers in the state trying to pour cold water on this, it is an immoral tax, most know that and it will easily pass by 70% of the vote. I think in the 2026 legislative session our unimaginative leg will pass a retail tax increase on all other goods actually hurting low income people even more. I call the food tax a boomerang effect, and why I almost voted against it.
• CON AMEND H, Open primaries will also pass by 70% or more. Half of registered voters in this state are Indies and we are fed up with the minority parties (that’s really what they are) controlling our elections.
• CON AMEND G, Abortion legalization, this will pass by 55% of the vote or more, but our idiots in Pierre will take this to the SDSC and have it overturned. Sorry Sodak ladies, you have to go to Minnesota for MJ, abortion and a decent pork chop on a stick.
*On a separate note I believe Dean Karsky will be booted from the Minnehaha County Commission, and if that happens I may just send him a ‘pleasant’ note about all of his years of service after getting APPOINTED and not actually elected into public service 
I couldn’t tell you personally, because I haven’t used the on-demand because I don’t like them data mining. But I have heard positives and negatives on the issue. Dakota Food Truck News did a story about the system, and I was surprised the GM didn’t kill the story because of the negativity towards the city. I wonder how many nasty calls they got from Poops’ ‘TEAM’ about this;
Brockman has used Sioux Area Metro and locally has not had any issues. He said that he has not been able to get a response from Via on the concerns he has and hopes things can be adjusted.
“It really sounds good in theory,” Brockman said.
Another option with SAM on Demand is the ability to reserve a ride ahead of time.
Brockman said that it’s a great idea, but he said that he has not been able to use that feature and that it needs to be 24 hours in advance, which is not convenient with him.
I actually find it baffling that the largest city in the state has one of the worst public transit systems in the nation. It would be different if this was sunny California where you can easily ride a bike or even walk everywhere, but with our extreme weather changes a good public transit system is important.
While I haven’t rode the public transit system in Sioux Falls, I was a daily rider in High School. In the late 80’s I lived in a suburb of Seattle, I moved to another adjacent town, so my school changed, but I didn’t want to go to that school, so my former school had open enrollment, the problem was I couldn’t take the school bus anymore so I would get a ride in the morning from my dad and take the CT (Community Transit) home. It was faster then the school bus and I was home within a half hour. I also ride public transit when I travel because other cities make it very easy to use. I told someone once, “You would literally have to be brain dead if you couldn’t figure out San Fran’s transit system.”
While On-Demand is nice, they really need to have fixed routes and they need to run from 5 AM to 10 PM, 7 days a week! The current hours are;
Monday to Friday: 6:00am to 9:15pm
Saturday: 8:00am to 6:00pm
I think it is strange that you have all these White Christian Nationalists in this town that don’t provide bus service on a Sunday so folks can attend a church service, or even a BBQ at a friend’s place.
Has any of my readers tried the new service?
This is what happens when you build a transit system around cars instead of moving people. There are streets in this town if I ride my bike on them, it would be a death wish.
Just remember to NOT bring your five gallon pails full of cement . . . BAD NEIGHBOR!
l3wis