October 14, 2008
Democrat Butler was state's CFO for eight years
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Former two-term State Treasurer Dick Butler, D-Faith, said in a radio advertisement airing this week in support of Initiated Measure 10 that opponents of the proposal are trying to mislead voters about the measure's impact.
The Secretary of State's official ballot description of Initiated Measure 10 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.”
Opponents of the measure claim its restrictions on tax-funded lobbying amount to a violation of public employees' free speech rights, a charge supporters say is refuted by common sense: the U.S. Constitution guarantees all Americans freedom of speech, and no state law or ballot measure can change that. The proposal does, however, prohibit politicians from using tax dollars to pay for lobbying or political campaigns.
"Desperation has driven the self-serving opponents of Yes on 10 into a campaign of deceit, and they're using tax dollars to do it," Butler, who served as state treasurer from 1995 to 2003, said in the ad.
"Yes on 10 delivers three needed reforms," Butler said. "No more tax dollars for lobbying. No more campaign contributions in exchange for no-bid contracts, and publication of major government contracts."
"Yes on 10 delivers three needed reforms," Butler said. "No more tax dollars for lobbying. No more campaign contributions in exchange for no-bid contracts, and publication of major government contracts."
Butler and former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Kephart are featured in a second ad airing this week in support of the proposal. The two are serving as bipartisan co-chairs of South Dakotans for Open and Clean Government, the campaign committee promoting a "yes" vote on Measure 10.
"We're voting YES on Measure 10 to stop politicians from using our tax dollars for lobbying," Kephart said in the ad. "And stop them from kicking back government contracts to campaign donors."
In a joint statement published by the Argus Leader newspaper in Sioux Falls, they said "it's a matter of simple math for taxpayers. Giving no-bid contracts to campaign donors drives the cost of government up, meaning increased cost to taxpayers and pressure to raise taxes. Voting 'yes' on 10 to encourage open competitive bidding will help keep the cost of government and our taxes down."
They said opponents of the measure are trying to mislead voters because they all have something in common: financial self-interest.
"Politicians who want to continue their cozy financial relationship with lobbyists and government contractors, including campaign contributions in return for no-bid contracts and the chance of being hired after leaving office," they wrote. "Lobbyists representing government contractors who think they should continue to benefit financially by rewarding politicians who have authority to spend our tax dollars. Lobbyists and government employee union officials who want to continue using tax dollars - or union dues withheld from government paychecks at taxpayers' expense - to pay for their lobbying and political activities."
"Politicians who want to continue their cozy financial relationship with lobbyists and government contractors, including campaign contributions in return for no-bid contracts and the chance of being hired after leaving office," they wrote. "Lobbyists representing government contractors who think they should continue to benefit financially by rewarding politicians who have authority to spend our tax dollars. Lobbyists and government employee union officials who want to continue using tax dollars - or union dues withheld from government paychecks at taxpayers' expense - to pay for their lobbying and political activities."
"By prohibiting 'pay-to-play' government contracts and tax-funded lobbying," they wrote, "Measure 10 threatens these groups' ability to continue benefiting financially at taxpayers' expense."
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