15 The Burke (SD) Gazette,
FROM THE NORTH END
Continued from Page 14
as important as it used to be as sim-
ply being with "the guys" is what I
truly enjoy. When I golf I seldom
keep score anymore as I can't re-
Gregory Co.
") The Family Of M.
Ruth Wagner
is requesting a
Card Shower
for her 80th Birthday
on February 18th
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
member how many strokes it takes
to get from the tee to the hole-and I
don't care.
The old adage "stop and smell
the roses" had to be coined by an
oldie like me. It's amazing the lon-
ger we live the more we appreciate
life's small things. One of my great-
est joys is taking Oscar and Buster
for their daily walks as I find myself
laughing at how they enthusiasti-
cally explore every little thing like a
bug or a leaf or a stick and even an-
other dog's poops and pees. I think
they're the ones that have taught me
to really appreciate the little things
in life. And then there's peer pres-
sure-which is less and less as many
of my peers have disappeared and
continue to do so!
I find myself wondering at what
age does one have to reach when we
no longer have to worry about the
future? I've accepted the fact that
the distant future for me no longer
exists-I find myself thinking in the
short-term! Yesterday I received a
letter from an investment firm tell-
ing me to think "long term." When
you're my age, WHY? There is NO
long term for this old f_ _t! I've
reached that age where a person
can just say, 'What the hell!" I'm
not going to be around much longer
anyway, so why not enjoy all the
good things in life- ice cream, choc-
olate chip cookies, fudge, brownies,
Janet Bailey's rolls, lasagna, good
haps the last) I fully intend to enjoy
it! See you next week when I'll have
made that move-if I can just make it
a few more days!
LEGISLATIVE i
REPORT
By:
State Senator
Billie Sutton
Week four of the legislative
session is complete, and the session
is moving very quickly. We only
have five full weeks left before our
work needs to be completed. Edu-
cation funding will be the topic of
discussion for the fifth week of ses-
sion, as the Governor's half penny
sales tax funding bill will be voted
on in committee and most likely on
the House floor. This vote will set
the tone for what the House mem-
bers will be willing to support in
regards to a tax increase for K-12
education.
Education will continue to be
the main focus of this legislative
session as it should be every year.
The Governor has filed his bills that
relate to his plan for education. The
House Republicans are also looking
at a couple of different proposals
to fund education. Their proposals
seem to focus on shifting property
taxes or forcing cuts in our current
budget. In my opinion, such small
steps would be a mistake at this
time, as we will not see this kind of
momentum to solve this problem
for quite some time.
bourbon, "heavy" beer, (I have al- I wrote about Governor
ways thought that light beer is just Daugaard's plan' for education in
i a step above or below water.) etc. I a previous article, but below is a
Cards may be sent no longer have listen to, "You can't quick reminder of the basics of his
to Ruth at: I eat or drink that; it'll kill you!" Too plan:
I
nd
36889 302 Street 1 late for that, no longer applies. And Creates a target average teach-
if it does, what a way to go! So... er salary of $48,500. This increase
"x Fairfax, SD 57335 ,,,a as I very quickly move into one of would still leave us last in our re-
!
/
gion. (currently in SD our average
teacher salary is $40,023)
Changes the student to teacher
ratio average from 13.9:1 to 14.5:1
(based on new formula focused on a
new student to teacher ratio). Raises
the state sales tax 0.5% collecting
! Silver Threads $107 million in new revenue ($40
[ million of which would go toward
I is looking for a _ property tax relief, meaning $67
I Part-time Cook _ million in new revenues to K-12
I Would consist of every third education).
] wee_k as other days Caps general fund reserves at
,l l Please or call stOPDonna in_to piCkatUP 40% dents, of General Fund Expenditures
I an application at for schools with less than 200 stu-
I 210E. 12thStreet dents, 30% for schools between
200 and 600 students, and 25% for
I schools with greater than 600 stu-
I 835-9717
Herrick United
Methodist Church
Sunday Services 8:30 AM .
While I sincerely appreciate
the Governor's willingness to make
education funding and teacher pay
the prime issue this legislative ses-
sion, we need to make sure we have
a plan that fixes this problem once
and for all. It will be very difficult
for schools to reach the target of
$48,500 with the money provided
under the current plan. As a Blue
Ribbon Task Force member, I heard
very clearly that our task was to be
BOLD and solve the problem of
teacher pay and education funding senior year. This statistic, coupled
NOW. The Governor's plan simply with low performance on standard-
does not go far enough. That is why ized tests and low attendance rates,
me and several other legislators is proof that what we are doing is
have proposed a plan that we think not working and we must find a way
does just that. The main pieces of to do better. SB 82 focuses on edu-
our plan are as follows: eating the whole child, using culture
Creates a target average teach- and language in a relevant school
er salary of $50,000 (putting South setting as an asset rather than an im-
Dakota ahead of Nebraska, North pediment to success in school.
Dakota, and Montana in average Historically, the revenue pro-
teacher pay and making us very jections aren't presented and ad-
competitive with our other sur- opted by the Appropriations Com-
rounding states), mittee until about a week before
Keeps our average student to the end of Session. Hearing about
teacher ratio the same (13.9:1), so estimated revenues so late in the
that schools do not have to consider process has then forced spending
increasing class sizes. This plan is decisions to likewise be late. These
especially beneficial to our smaller spending decisions are too impor-
schools because a lower student to tant to wait for deliberation to occur
teacher ratio for them will make up so late in the process. Under new
for the loss of the small school fac- rules adopted by the legislature, the
tor in the new formula, revenue estimates will be adopted
Raises the sales tax a full 1%, on February 10th, allowing Appro-
but removes the sales tax on food priators a more reasonable amount
for the state portion (municipalities time for consideration. It's a much
would still be able to tax food under appreciated and a long over-due
this proposal) - netting $122.5 mil- change, which should significantly
lion for K-12 education. Removing improve the process.
the state sales tax on food saves a We will be having three legisla-
total of $90 million for all taxpay- tive public forums that you are all
ers. Not a single other state sur- encouraged to attend this coming
rounding SD taxes groceries.Saturday, February 13th. The first
We must put politics aside and forum will be at 10:00 a.m. in Win-
figure out a way to work together to ner at the Statewide Ag building.
solve this problem right now, not to The second forum will be in Burke
put a band-aid on it and say we did at Stella's restaurant at 12:00 p.m.
something. I will continue to work The third and final forum of the day
with my counterparts across the will be in Platte at 2:00 p.m. at the
aisle to find a bi-partisan solution American Legion on Main Street.
that reaches an achievable goal that I cannot stress enough the impor-
will adequately fund education and tance of you being in attendance, so
get teacher pay competitive with we as your legislators can hear from
our surrounding states, you on issues that are important to
Senate Bills 81 and 82 passed you. Our democracy only works
the Senate in week four and will when our legislators can work for
now move to the House. SB 81our constituents.
would create a paraprofessional tu- I encourage anyone to contact
ition scholarship program for per- me with questions, concerns, and
sonnel seeking to get their teaching new ideas on how we can improve
certificate working in Native Amer- South Dakota as we move through
ican Schools. Assisting these para- the legislative session. It is an
professionals in our high population honor to be your Senator, and I will
Native American Schools is a great continue working hard for all of you
step in assuring that they will con- and for the great state of South Da-
tinue teaching with a teaching certif- kota.
icate in these schools. SB 82 would sen.sutton@state.sd.us
establish an achievement schools 605-830-5540
grant program for three Native District21 Senator
American schools in South Dakota. Minority Leader
These achievement schools would Billie H. Sutton
be part of the public schools system QUALM COLUMN
and have to meet the same stan- Continued from Page 12
dards that any other public school three bills: HB 1182 would in-
has to meet. The difference would crease the sales tax by a half penny
be that this achievement schools and dedicate $40million for prop-
program would seek to use Native erty tax relief: SB 131 establishes
American languages and culture as a new funding formula and requires
an additional teaching tool. These that 90% of new funding go specifi-
bills came from the Native Ameri- cally to teacher pay. This bill also
can Student Achievement Advi- imposes new caps on school general
sory Council (NASAAC) summerreserve funds and on the growth of
study that Governor Daugaard put capital outlay levies: SB 133 in-
together through Executive Order eludes a number of proposals to re-
during this last summer. The Coun- cruit and retain more teachers and to
cil found that SD public schools create new opportunities for school
with a population of over 50% Na- efficiency.
tive American students have a 50% Governor Daugaard has in
dropout rate from freshman year to Continued on Page 16
