2011 State Business Tax Climate

For the second year in a row, South Dakota is ranked 1st in the Tax Foundation’s 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index; followed by Alaska and Wyoming.  New York has the worst state business tax climate with Minnesota (43rd) and Iowa (45th) also in the bottom 10.  The eighth edition of the Index, released Tuesday, represents the tax climate of each state as of July 1, 2010, the start of FY 2011.  This report illustrates why my commitment to protecting our low-tax and business friendly climate is so important.  Click here for the complete report.

The report validates principles that South Dakotans have believed in for decades—“Taxes matter to business; and states do not enact tax changes (increases or cuts) in a vacuum.”  South Dakota’s 4% sales and use tax reflects the report’s standard – “Good state tax systems levy low, flat rates on the broadest bases possible, and they treat all taxpayers the same.”  They emphasized a critical point to consider especially in today’s budgetary situation-- “State lawmakers are always mindful of their states' business tax climates but they are often tempted to lure business with lucrative tax incentives and subsidies instead of broad-based tax reform. A far more effective approach is to systematically improve the business tax climate for the long term so as to improve the state's competitiveness.”  (Padgitt, 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index)

Thank you, to all the supporters...

...who have been willing to have our signs in their yards.  In District 13 they have become a real staple in campaigning and we so appreciate all who put up with the inconvenience of 1, 2, or sometimes a dozen signs. (I think our latest count is 12.)  Seeing our sign in a yard is surprisingly reassuring and when one is missing, we all wonder …..why?  As Halloween approaches, signs start disappearing in great numbers.  I wonder where they all end up; where is the yard sign graveyard? A new twist this year is they are taking the wire stakes and leaving the sign.  I am always so gratified when a supporter calls to have their sign replaced.  So with just one week to go, if you haven’t gotten your blue Heineman for Senate sign, call or email me.  I’ll deliver and they will be gone on Nov. 3.

Scars Run Deep

I met a really interesting 90+ year-old gentleman today, a highly decorated veteran.  He loved to share colorful stories from his past and had wonderful memorabilia, some more than a century old.  He spoke of a back injury from the war and when I asked what had happened, he stopped and then said, “I really don’t like to talk about it.”

“Who are the people in your neighborhood?”

I met a nuclear engineer/physicist in the District 13 neighborhood and learned a great deal about the role of Physics in medicine, in technology, and in our future.  Antimatter and Pet Scans…I’ve heard of both.  I didn’t realize that one led to the other--a discovery in theoretical physics leads to life saving medical procedure. What else lies out there?  With South Dakota’s renewed emphasis on research, we are about to find out…if we prepare.

He commented that there will always be a few “bright sparks,” the Einsteins, who make great discoveries and give us the “flashes of insight,” but he cautioned that we need an “army of competent engineers and scientists who understand and can translate these into practical applications”  …sometimes many decades later.  To be ready for that future challenge, he noted that our students need a strong background in Math and Science from the earliest grades on. He also believed that the math and science community can be an important resource for our math and science teachers.

District 13, these are your words…

In my recent postcard (shown below) to voters in my district, I used quotes from people whom I’ve met going door to door.  I couldn’t have stated my positions any better than in their words. The voters have made this the most interesting door to door campaign ever.  They are engaged, informed, and passionate in their beliefs.  As I stated in my postcard, there are experts in so many areas and they understand that their involvement can and must make a difference in our country and in our State. 

 

 

Twenty days left--I need your vote and thousands more!

There are so many opportunities for each of us to impact this election. Elections are often determined by a few votes in each precinct; so each of your efforts makes a huge difference.  Do you have a neighbor who would find it difficult to vote on Election Day and would like to absentee vote?  How about college students who are registered in the district and need to vote absentee?  Has someone just moved in and needs to register?  I can help with any of these; email or call me.  Anyone have a space for a yard sign?  I would like to blanket the district with “Heineman blue.”  I have stamped-postcards ready to be sent to friends and undecided voters.  Let me know if you’d consider sending 10 or so.  Any other ideas for success on November 2?  Thanks for all your support and friendship. 

Do you know a South Dakota high school student?

If so, encourage them to go to SDMyLife.com and register in the My Future, My Prize contest.  The grand prize is an HP Elitebook 2740p Tablet PC, backpack and HP office Jet Printer 4680 plus a large variety of runner up prizes.  Contest ends November 15.  South Dakota’s Department of Education is sponsoring this free contest to encourage students and parents to log on to this valuable website—“all to help you plan YOUR future.”  SDMyLife.com offers “a ton of career exploration resources.  Build your own portfolio, and start planning for your life after high school today.”  (SDMyLife, SDDOE)  Thanks to HP and Riverside Technologies, Inc. for their donations.

Voting is a privilege that spans generations

I had the pleasure of attending USD’s College Republicans’ meet and greet with many legislative candidates from across southeastern South Dakota.  The CRs’ enthusiasm and commitment to this “high stakes” election is really encouraging.  The previous day I had observed the absentee voting at one of our neighborhood’s nursing homes.  People waited patiently for their turn and carefully and painstakingly considered the ballot.  Our youth’s hopefulness maturing into senior’s perseverance exemplifies the lifetime commitment of this great privilege.