Last updated on 2017-10-30
Bob Mercer notes that the Tribal Economic Development Task Force plans to ask the Legislature to spend money to hire a tribal/reservation economic development specialist for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. If you believe GOED (a) can be trusted, (b) isn’t just corporate welfare, and (c) won’t just use Indians as cover for handing more money to cronies, then yes, a little GOED focus on Indian issues could be useful.
At the same time, South Dakota is cutting Department of Labor programs that help unemployed Indians stay afloat and get back into the workforce. The unemployment insurance division is cutting back staff due to federal cutbacks (and whose counterproductive idea was that?). Rather than self-reliantly backfill the difference, Governor Dennis Daugaard’s FY2017 budget (see p. 56) proposes cutting 13 out of 92 jobs and 20% of the budget from the unemployment insurance service. The budget proposes cutting 14 out of 180 jobs and 7% of field operations, which include your local job service office.
Wait—some of you Native readers may not have a local job service office. At the beginning of the Daugaard Administration, South Dakota had sixteen job service offices helping workers find jobs and businesses find workers. The state Department of Labor still has sixteen local offices, but it has replaced offices in Hot Springs, Pine Ridge, and Mobridge with new offices in Lake Andes, Sisseton, and North Sioux City. That’s three big minuses for Indian Country versus two smaller pluses: the closed offices were either in or next to counties with majority Indian populations, while the new offices are in counties with 36%, 32%, and 0.7% Indian populations.
Mercer reminds us that one of GOED’s sweet corporate treats, the Future Fund, comes from money that used to support the unemployment insurance trust fund. That smells a lot like taking from the poor to give to the rich.
If (if, if) government has a role in economic development, one would think that role would involve helping the folks in greatest need of help first. Workers outnumber business; unemployed workers outnumber businesses in trouble. The Legislature may seem some logic in funding a GOED staffer to coordinate tribal economic development (though I might ask why the entire GOED staff isn’t devoting its time and energy to bringing businesses to the highest unemployment areas in the state), but if they do, I’d suggest that for every dollar Legislature throws at corporate welfare, they consider throwing ten dollars directly at the welfare of our workers, Indian and non-Indian.
Until some form of affordable mass transit happens in Indian Country Job Service offices are virtually meaningless.
Not the starting place to make life better in our state for natives. Truth and Reconcilation Commission work first. Take three years to do it right. Meanwhile work all the bugs out of my SD TRADE idea. Then give Bear Butte back and Free Peltier as symbolic gestures. And then full on address injustices in the criminal justice system – it all comes to light. Btw, Cory, no mention of the trial/acquittal of the happy trigger tazar lady cop on pine ridge last week? I only saw coverage in the RCJ. More of the same. Or maybe I’m missing something!?
And I don’t care if Peltier is guilty, that entirely misses my point. There have been scores of natives who’ve done far more time than was just so let’s call it even on Peltier.
Exactly, Steve. But don’t expect President Obama to release POW Peltier until after 2016 election.
Bring back manpower. lol
Is Lu the only one who wants to talk economic development? ;-)
Steve, I missed the acquittal. Was she a white cop or Indian cop?
http://m.rapidcityjournal.com/news/opinion/columnists/local/jim-kent/article_b0c923ff-35a8-5be8-b884-4da7f62efdfa.html?mobile_touch=true
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XREZJKYRKnQ
Did I miss something Reverend Hickey? Did you actually bring up. “give back Bear Butte,” and “Free Leonard Peltier” bills when you were in the legislature?
And oh by the way, he is not guilty.
Yep I did float those ideas Lanny but bringing bills or resolutions would have been a waste of time.
A minor “hair splitting,” but something that rubs me in the wrong way, whether the topic is about people with disabilities, or various ethnic groups, is the expression of getting back into the work force.
People cannot get back into the work force if they never have been employed. (I have to close for now, but will be back)
CH,
The best welfare program is a job and every employee needs an employer. Everything you listed maybe eases the impact of not having a job and gives no hope for a better future.
Someone posted a link to the RC story a week or so ago. I remember reading it.
World Peace.
larry kurtz 2015-12-11 at 07:27
Call it a dragon if you like, Evans but imagine Moses unearthing a fossil of Quetzalcoatlus.
But back on topic: imagine a white police officer tazing an American Indian:
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/opinion/columnists/local/jim-kent/kent-another-cry-of-injustice-in-sd/article_b0c923ff-35a8-5be8-b884-4da7f62efdfa.html
Troy,
And just where do the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation go to find one of those jobs that would get them off welfare?
I am surprised Daugaard closed the Pine Ridge Job Service office since like DSS it probably cost a number of non-Indians their jobs.
Reverend Hickey, Is that kind of like voting in SD is a waste of time?
The GOED job is about as token an effort as possible. … I’m with Cory let’s get real here.
Housing, health care, infrastructure. A couple businesses? Ya right…as long as there is NO STATE MONEY involved, Right Daugaard?
There are many programs going on the rez’s and around the country to support rez business. Pierre will make little difference.
Troy, we were the first Republicans. ..till “civilization” came n ruined it, killed us and put us on reservations at gunpoint. Oh that’s the past…I will move to Aberdeen n work at the meat plant. …not…
The tazing case will make you sick. Check out her body cam video. Which was not released until after the trial.
I knew Richard Benda, he came to the South Dakota Indian Business Alliance conferences n was sincere n seemed to want to help. I felt he was honorable. .. got in over his head. Sad.
Daugaard n associates don’t want the natives to succeed. I believe that. The Treaty of 1868, which reserved western SD for the treaty signers will continue to haunt state government. I got in a debate on here with Happy Camper about the 1 billion dollar Black Hills treaty settlement the tribes refuse. Peanuts really. Or maybe I should say it’s a smallpox blanket.
If we have a better economy, employment and better health and lifestyles on the rez’s….. we will just become that much more of a political, economic and social force to be reckoned with. Janklow was elected as an Indian fighter…he was. N SD has stayed Repub since.
I personally don’t look for help from Pierre. ..they don’t really like or want us. As far as Bear Butte …heck the tribes have quietly bought up land all around it to camp and pray and meet on. That is very limited money but the place is too important to let be exploited for Biker drinking.
Thousands of Native students, educators, artists, families, leaders and athletes will converge on Rapid city this week for the famous Lakota Nation Invitational basketball tournament. Which includes, knowledge contests, language contests, art shows, wrestling, leadership conferences, AA meetings, fashion shows, pow wows, health conferences, on n on…n some great basketball with a 30 second shot clock!
It’s too bad we might get tased 23 times on camera n it’s our fault.
Anybody who doubts Spike’s assessment of DD, only need to look at DD’s complete disregard for the ICWA, Indian Child Welfare Act, as a means of putting his former employer Children’s Home Society of South Dakota back on solid financial footing after nearly going bankrupt at the end of the last century and the start of this one.
His disregard for Indian children is worse even than his disregard for all of our children as witnessed by his not properly funding education and underpaying our teachers.
Lanny, thanks for reminding me..N reminding me about the voter suppression that takes place. I’m sure you have more.
The guy tazed..he was handcuffed n flat on his back. The cop said it was his fault, for being intoxicated and playing “possum” Ugly.
John Trudell…the FBI file released was 17,000 pages on him.
I quote from that file. ” He is extremely eloquent, therefore extremely dangerous”
HE WAS A POET.
Mr. Spike is right about the LNI being an exciting event. I love the wacipi and there are some really good basketball games that take place. The crowds that come to Rapid City and eat and stay at the hotels are great. Lar’s idea about moving it to Belle Fourche is not a good idea, they could never handle the crowds.
There are a lot of us east river who thought for sure it would be moved from RC after the guy from Philip poured beer on the kids last year at the Hockey game and nothing happened to him for this horrible act. If that is their idea of respect, how can they keep getting that tournament?
They should boycott Philip. Not everybody in Rapid City spilled the beer. But that doesn’t have anything to do with Indian Economic Development, something that might happen if they moved the LNI to He Dog School, but then you’ve the motel problem all over again even bigger than Belle Fourche. The reality is there are only 2 towns in South Dakota that can host the event.
Wingnuts have a lot to learn about public relations and caring and sharing. Pre-school stuff they never were taught or never bothered to learn.
Aha, Grudz, but you haven’t heard the mayor the big town talk. The new Events Center is economic development. If the tribes played their cards right, for an event of that size, they could probably get some enterprising cities to bid on the event and make a pretty decent chunk of change off from the event.
Look what has happened to SF already. First they got the College basketball tournament, then the conference tournament, then a regional tournament with ESPN attending. They will never get a final four of major, but possibly of division two. The city gets 3 pennies on every dollar spent and the state gets 4.
But you need not worry, we won’t be giving any of that to the teachers, as long as the state can convince the unsuspecting voters to go along with their idea of putting another penny sales tax on and sticking it to the folks who can’t afford to attend any of those events at the events center.
Man Mr. Grudznick. ..He Dog school…you get around. That’s cool.
Rodney Bordeaux , former Rosebud Sioux Tribal president said it well….we will keep coming to RC and the Black Hills. …it’s our home.
On this amazing and great blog I have read over the last year many excellent suggestions from kind and intelligent people on improving the lives of tribal members. Gives me great hope. Thank all of you.
So Troy, is that why we’re supposed to never help the poor directly but keep buying into trickle-down economics, where we calm our concerns about giving handouts to the rich with our faith that the rich will in turn help the poor on their own terms… after taking a cut?
As Roger notes, a good Job Service office isn’t exactly a handout. If we can afford one for the folks working for Dakota Dunes, we can afford one for Pine Ridge.
the indian staffer from mission, i think(?) might be the fall guy taking all criticism for GOED’s overall ignoring indian economic development and failure therein. but the more Indian staff in pierre the better. who is stacy phelp’s replacement?
another question: who did the judge think the philip cowboy was lassoing?
spike, u dah man! grudz the careful racist not so much, but sorry i missed your repartee w/ happy. he’s been aching for it.
Gov. rounds, SD state banking commission, meet Epoch Star Limited, a BVI corp. formed solely to loan NBP $30 mil @ 29% thru hong kong manager Wea of Asian Anvil Partners, Ltd. an arm of Industrial Bank of China, of less than 10 secret investors non e of whom are soley in the business of money lending. whew! see Cayman Islands News:
http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/scottish-beef-company-gets-secret-loan-from-secret-cayman-company/
Keep an eye on the eloquent ones and let the killers slide. Priorities. There is a song in there somewhere. Keep talking Spike. I’m listening and learning.
mfi-imagine what a sovereign nation with a young lawyer schooled in corporations and investment banking could do in terms of tribal economic development.
The Cayman Islands, about the size of the village of Pine ridge, “is a leading international financial centre and continues to be the offshore domicile of choice for hedge funds, private equity funds and tax neutral corporate structuring. The strength of the financial industry in the Cayman Islands is underpinned by a transparent and thorough regulatory regime and the political and economic stability offered by its position as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.”
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2011 NBP will have $10 Billion economic impact on Brown County
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On July 19 Northern Beef Packers filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to reorganize its debt and hopefully emerge stronger. According to Bollen, the plant is the newest, most up-to-date beef plant in the U.S., so the possibility also exists that it could be sold. “Northern Beef does have a good chance to come out of this in a stronger condition and continue to operate,” he said. Unfortunately for NBP, it came into operation right when beef prices skyrocketed.
“Most likely there will be loss of capital for the EB-5 investors, I hope not but I don’t see how there can’t be, and based on USCIS guidelines the visas for the EB-5 investors are going to be fine. Money was invested and jobs were created,” Bollen explained.
http://eb5news.com/categories/12-projects/posts/206-troubled-eb-5-funded-project-files-chapter-11
“paint yourself” john trudell/robbie robertson i think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_A8f2LnO9g
leslie,this feeble mind of mine(or maybe poor eyesight) makes it hard to differentiate the words corporation and corruption. One has eleven letters and the other has ten. I’ll use a tape measure to tell the difference. Mayhaps my mind is not “that “feeble,or was that Fee Waybill?
mfi-corporations suck, have always sucked and until we decide capitalism really just hurts most people, we need to find a dumpster for them and scalia!! but by then we’ll have lost the “right ” to vote…esp. if republicans win 2016.
tubes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-rEVVAw3-0
steve luke co-wrote it w/ Fee… it took me away from stevie ray to the 80s and beyond!!:)