Watertown Public Opinion: Stop the lobbyists!`
This past weekend, the Watertown Public Opinion publisher, Mark Roby, penned a scathing editorial absolutely ripping apart tech school lobbyist (and former Republican Legislator) Mitch Richter for his action on the tech school bill.
It wasn't one of those articles leaving you to ask him not to hold back. Because nothing was:
It's an extensive article (this is barely a blurb) but a barn burner.
It wasn't one of those articles leaving you to ask him not to hold back. Because nothing was:
For more than four years now our Watertown School Board and LATI administration have approved spending about $25,000 per year , when matched by the other tech schools, totaled more than $100,000 per year for a lobbyist charged with finding a solution to chronic funding problems. The lobbyist Mitch Richter, is a former Sioux Falls legislator.Read the entire article here at the Watertown Public Opinion (nominal fee for the article required).
What have we gotten for this sizable investment?
In my view, nothing. Maybe worse.
and...
The Watertown School board should immediately end payments for lobbying for a change in control. We ought to learn our lesson now, and stop paying for this "expert" advice which led us down the path to a solution nobody wants.
It's an extensive article (this is barely a blurb) but a barn burner.
Comments
However, that does not excuse the state and the idiot legislators from their role in underfunding the tech schools. The dysfunction between the schools is very understandable when you know the history and the obstacles thrown up by the jerks in Pierre since before the tech schools were started.
There are no friends for tech schools in Pierre. Rounds and the rest will continue their hoax of claiming they believe that tech schools are important to economic development, and that they pave the way for more jobs and better paying careers. And in truth, there is a quantifiable relationship between the tech schools and good paying jobs in the home communities ... especially Watertown.
But the truth is Pierre has always resisted the development of a competent, free-standing tech school program in South Dakota. The universities run the roost, and even they are on shaky ground with many of the dumb rednecks in the legislature. Rounds will stand back and let ol' Double-Dipper Tad Parry, Harvey Jewitt and the Board of Regents cannibalize the program, because Rounds has never had a spine.
I understand Watertown's disappointment with Richter as well as the community's well-founded skepticism with the politicians in Pierre. But if they want to survive, they've got to make peace and form alliances to push back. Ripping into Richter won't get that job done.
You get paid $100K per year, plus expenses, to lobby to create a new $200K job for yourself!
Bah-da-bah...
Perhaps not being qualified for the Exec Dir job at SETI will turn out to be a good thing for him after all.
Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back just yet over SB95.
Mitch was a step child in the process, and definately didn't deserve the 100 k he was paid.
This is a real sad situation, with Richter. If they get an executive director, I'll wager is Dr. Gross - you know, someone who knows SOMETHING about Tech School Education.
You have to be an educator and a good lobbyist. Not a lobbyist who gives a good hand job.
I have no doubt that the tech school governance bill would have passed if someone other than Mitch was promoting it.
The tech school people say their goal is to advance technical education. I think that is exactly what the Regents would do.