FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mon., Sept. 29, 2008
CONTACT: Susan Pisani 605-271-8290
SPEARFISH, S.D. -- They share more than just the same initials.
Spearfish Republican Women's President Susan Pisani says she's following a path blazed by Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin -- pushing to promote open competitive bidding for government contracts and bring more openness and transparency to state and local government, despite the opposition of some in the political establishment of her own party.
Pisani, West River coordinator for the ballot campaign supporting Initiated Measure 10, Saturday was elected 2nd Vice President of the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women during the group's 2008 Biennial State Convention in Huron. She is a 15 year business owner of a travel agency, a former Black Hills State University part time staff member, a graduate of Leadership Spearfish 2007, and a member of the Spearfish Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee.
"Voting yes on Measure 10 will bring common sense ethics and public disclosure reform to our state and local governments," Pisani said, "applying the same standards to local officials that we already require by law of our federal elected officials in Washington. That's consistent with our party principles, but something an overwhelming majority of all voters support, regardless of party."
The official ballot description of Initiated Measure 10 authored by the Secretary of State reads as follows: “An initiative to prohibit tax revenues from being used for lobbying or campaigning, to prohibit governmental bodies from lobbying, to prohibit government contractors from making campaign contributions, to prohibit government contracts when the contractor employs a legislator or legislative staff member, and to require contracts with government contractors to be published.”
Pisani says Measure 10 seeks the same reforms in South Dakota government that Palin accomplished in Alaska.
"I like to think I'm following in Sarah Palin's footsteps, taking a stand on principle for what's in the best interests of our state and the people, whether the political establishment likes it or not," Pisani said.
She pointed to the Heartland Institute's report that in April, Gov. Palin "announced (Alaska) has put its check register online. The department of administration's Web site now hosts datasheets in PDF and Excel formats that allow taxpayers to view details of every expenditure greater than $1,000, organized by department, payee, and type of expense." http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results.html?artId=22898
Similarly, Pisani said Measure 10 will promote transparency about the relationships between elected officials and government contractors by requiring that detailed information about government contracts be published on the Web.
Similarly, Pisani said Measure 10 would encourage competitive, transparent bidding for government contracts in South Dakota by prohibiting no-bid government contract holders from making campaign contributions to the politicians who award their contracts. Promoting competitive bidding should lower the cost of government to taxpayers, she said.
The Journal also reported that Palin "railed against cozy politics. ...Republicans could learn from this. The party has been plagued by earmarks, scandal and corruption. Most members have embraced the machine. That has diminished voters' trust, and in the process diminished good, conservative ideas."
Pisani said similarly, "since polls show voters overwhelmingly plan to vote 'yes' on Measure 10, supporting Measure 10 is also in the best interests of my party and its candidates."
"Taxpayers are fed up with our tax dollars being used for lobbying, and fed up with the cozy financial relationship between some politicians and government contractors," Pisani said. "It's not just good government, it's smart politics to stand with the people and not with the tax-funded lobbyists and government contractors who oppose this common sense ethics and transparency reform."
Sam Kephart, also of Spearfish and state co-chair of South Dakotans for Open and Clean Government, the group supporting a "yes" vote on Measure 10, said backers of the proposal "are fortunate to have someone of Sue's level-headed political judgment, energy, and leadership coordinating our campaign West River."
"Because of Sue's hard work, we expect a strong 'yes' vote for Measure 10 in this area of the state," said Kephart, who earlier this year was a candidate for U.S. Senate in the Republican primary election.
