66 counties begging for money from Pierre...again

Hmmmm: where have I heard this before?

While South Dakota lawmakers will be asked to fund teachers, schools and Medicaid expansion, there could be another big gap they will be asked to cover. Counties have been falling further behind in road and law enforcement funding. Senator Arthur Rusch of Vermillion says county finances have been studied. Rusch says counties may be after more sales tax. Rusch says the option of an alcohol tax has been brought up in the past.

Listen to the story at WNAX.

The population of several South Dakota counties is evaporating. Forty-two of the state’s 66 counties are losing residents, most at a rapid rate. In 2010, 11 South Dakota counties met the traditional U.S. Census Bureau designation of “unsettled” or frontier territory, having two or fewer persons per square mile. Five more have fewer than three and the population in each is declining. A consolidated form of city/county government works in many metropolitan areas. There are 40 in the United States, including Butte, Mont.; Denver; Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; Philadelphia and San Francisco. [excerpt, LTE, Joe Kirby]

66 county seats are neither sustainable nor conservative.

For a third time Wyoming's legislature will vote to ease cannabis penalties to reduce corrections costs as coal revenues dwindle.

Wyoming only has twenty three counties.

The legislation would allow people who have medical marijuana cards issued in other states to travel through Wyoming without getting in trouble for possession. If people with a medical marijuana card legitimately obtained in another state stay in Wyoming for a long period of time, they would be violating existing state statute that declares people become Wyoming residents after 30 days. [Laura Hancock]

It's easier being green than South Dakotans think.