Director's Notes Did you know that SD legislators are paid $6,000 per year? For that, they leave home for 2-1/2 months, serve on summer study committees, and almost like a city official, take heat and ‘commentary’ every day. They are underpaid.
There are 105 people in the SD legislature. I’ve been harder on them as a group than most, but as individuals, almost all of them are good people. We don’t always agree, but most are trying to do the right thing. They are underpaid.
The beauty of the SD legislature is that it is a citizen legislature. They are not full-time. They do not have offices or staff that protect them from the people they serve. For all of that I am grateful every single day. They are underpaid.
You have heard me often in the last few years pointing out that our system does not allow enough of our citizens to serve in the legislature. You must be self-employed and willing to give up the time and money you’d otherwise earn; retired; or have an incredibly understanding and civic minded employer to be able to serve. We need to do something to change that.
As this is written, it looks like the Legislature will pass a bill to increase legislative salaries. Even though they all need to run again before a pay increase happens, that vote is going to be used against some of them in the upcoming election. Some groups put together “scorecards” on legislator voting records – That type of thing is almost always misleading (one reason we have never done one). Attacking legislators based on some ‘scorecard’ designed to put them in a bad light is one of the reasons it is hard to find people willing to serve.
We have it good in SD. Our culture is honest, our beliefs are straightforward, and our legislature has truly been made up of citizens - representing citizens.
We need to protect that. A pay increase is not the only answer - we need more steps that allow any of our citizens to serve - but as a start - they are underpaid.
Until next month, remember we are always available at 1-800-658-3633 or yvonne@sdmunicipalleague.org.
Yvonne Taylor Executive Director
JE Marsh Consulting James Marsh, Owner Employment Law Consultation; Arbitration; Mediation; Contract Hearing Officer
ǯ got 30 y ǯ experience in helping people with W ǯ Compensation; EEO/Discrimination; FLSA; and Public Employee Laws (Collective Bargaining; Unfair Labor Practices; Grievances; Terminations). Let me help you! www.jemarshconsulting.com JE Marsh Consulting, PO Box 188, Tripp, SD 57376 605-505-1401 | email: jamesmarshadr@gmail.com
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SOUTH DAKOTA MUNICIPALITIES
