This sounds familiar: the Legislature is convening an interim committee to study workforce housing. Three legislators (Rep. Perry, Sen. Diedrich, Rep. Weisgram) proposed studying why working South Dakotans are having trouble buying good houses and what state government might do to help them get affordable rooves over their heads. The proposals that prompted this interim study speak of housing tax credits, a revolving loan fund for development costs, community matches, apprenticeships in the building trades, state government programs, and federal money.
We know how this will go: committee members will convene a hearing or two and take testimony from their favorite local contractors, land moguls, corporate employers, and local economic development honchos bemoaning the lack of affordable housing and the red tape that makes it hard to build. They’ll thank the Governor for repealing local control of zoning laws, but they’ll say they still need more tax handouts from the locals and the state to lower their building costs.
Members of the committee may hear one or two established developers complain that government shouldn’t subsidize the construction of newer competing properties. But the committee will mostly heed the advice of crony capitalists and propose various forms of corporate welfare, just like the last workforce housing committee did in 2017, congratulate themselves on hearings well done, and then let their bills die swift deaths during the regular Session.
No one on this committee will talk about changing our culture and building smaller houses. No one on this committee will acknowledge that the free market caters to the wealthy and ignores the needs of the workers who create that wealth.
And not one of them will get to the root of the problem and ask their faux-capitalist supplicants, “Why don’t you pay your workers enough to buy a house?”
Getting into the way way way back machine – to the times in my life when I was employed in the housing construction industry – not simply as a laborer, but also into management and even contractor business ownership – I recall being continuously puzzled that I could be employed to build housing that seemed that it would be forever beyond my reach as to affordability. It seems to remain thus.
Just as essential workers in the field of medicine should be able to afford the same health care they provide, construction workers should be able to afford the same housing they build.
Cory & Richard hit the nail on the head (pun intended).
The systemic culture needs reform. The culture is designed and promulgated to keep the middle class down and the lower class out. Doubt it? Read what Black Hills Energy is doing – conspiring to make economic slaves of their monopolistically captured customers – this from GENPRO. BHE apparently thinks their customers must be forced to support their broken exploitative culture and broken business model to remain viable for a little while longer. Don’t let the Luddites win. Each building, commercial or residential, must eventually be a self sufficient source producing its own energy. That is the self sufficient future that also increases property value. Even corporations are opposing this selfish Black Hills Energy economic entrapment and enslavement.
GenPro Energy Solutions
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-IMPORTANT-
As a trusted energy solutions partner, we wanted to make you aware of a proposed amendment (EL21-011) that was filed by Black Hills Energy to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that may significantly impact customers who are thinking about investing in behind-the-meter electric generation.
In short, Black Hills Energy requested to not allow customers to directly use electricity generated on their own property. Instead, they wish to sell you the energy you generate at a retail rate. We are encouraging all electric customers of Black Hills Energy to contact the PUC at (605) 773-3201 and voice their concern. Read the proposal and all documents yourself:
https://puc.sd.gov/Dockets/Electric/2021/EL21-011.aspx
Read the filings. Protest the PUC and your representatives.
Rotten bast—s! And so it goes-money chasing more money! common person be damned!
Capitalism has failed to pay millions of people enough wages and salary.
Business owners and investors aren’t deified in the Constitution.
Republicans and Democrats have to have the courage to stop subsidizing these
Business owners.
Unions, unions. That will do it.
Capitalism works great. The law of supply and demand would put it out of business if it didn’t.
Capitalism works great for the wealthy only as long as Socialism backs it up.