Northern Plains News puts more lie to South Dakota Republican assertions that South Dakota is a model of the GOP smaller-government philosophy. From 2007 to 2012, South Dakota added workers to government payrolls at a faster rate than our neighbors and the national average:
The Mount Rushmore State, along with fellow Northern Plains states Wyoming and Nebraska, had government employment grow by more than 4 percent during that period.
North Dakota and Minnesota had a 2 to 4 percent decrease in state and local government employees during the period while Montana’s government workforce grew by less than 2 percent and Iowa’s by 2 to 4 percent ["SD State, Local Government Employee Growth Among Fastest in Nation," Northern Plains News via Mitchell Daily Republic, 2014.07.18].
Bigger government payrolls, faster state budget growth... that doesn't sound like what South Dakota Republicans tell us they're about, does it?
Republican-dominated state government pays its workers a lot more than do local governments:
Average annual state government wages in South Dakota were $50,000 to $55,000 and $35,000 to $40,000 for local government employees [NPN, 2014.07.18].
And in a remarkable and unexpected assertion of priorities, check out which field draws the biggest government paychecks in South Dakota:
State employees working in education were the best paid, at an annual salary of $60,000 to $65,000 and the lowest paid were local natural resources employees at $30,000 to $35,000 [NPN, 2014.07.18].
State workers in education get great salaries! It's too bad the state can't shake some of that $60K down to the K-12 teachers pounding the whiteboards for $40K to help with recruitment and retention.
Republican hypocrisy never stops, kinda like Daugaard not expanding medicare for that 48,000 that falls through the cracks while at the same time dropping to his knees to beg (or whatever) for any other federal money he can get his hands on.
I think it is good public policy to pay state employees with generous salaries. It would also be good public policy to expand Medicaid, provide more financial aid to education, invest in our infrastructure, and provide relief to those in need.
Perhaps the fact that Republicans are willing to pay state workers a reasonable living wage increases the possibility that they might eventually adopt beneficial policies in the other areas. After all, such policies translate into a much improved South Dakota economy, and economic improvement is hardly something to object to (unless Obama proposes it).
what does the oatmeal caucus say about the idea of trickle down south dakota wealth to the lowly k-12 teacher torn by leaving the state for adequate income, now that pressler has been warned to stay away from the viability of repub chances of beating rick/corrina/susan-susy? its only our middle class/lower class children's futures that are at stake. does any caring person think rounds/noem/daaugard will be a better choice? prolly just blame the unions.
Do you think those fatcat administrators and fat salaries include professors?