Sioux Falls invaded the Capitol in Pierre Wednesday. It was the annual Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce’s Sioux Falls Day at the Legislature.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard
Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R-South Dakota). Photo by Todd Epp/KSOO-AM.
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Two bus loads of Sioux Empirians braved -4 degree temperatures at 6:15 AM to head to Pierre to see the South Dakota Legislature in action, meet with legislators and other officials, hear from Governor Dennis Daugaard, make, serve and consume root beer floats, brownies and Rice Krispy bars in the Capitol Rotunda and remind the 70 percent of legislators who don’t represent the Sioux Falls area that the city is vital to the state’s success.

At the noon luncheon, former Sioux Falls city councilor turned state economic development secretary Pat Costello told attendees that while businesses are attracted to South Dakota by the lack of state personal and corporate income taxes, regular people are turned off by that. He saidasurveyshowsthat people who might want to work in South Dakota think a lack of an income tax means a lack of care about roads, parks, schools and so forth.

Attorney General Marty Jackely
Attorney General Marty Jackely (R-South Dakota). Photo by Todd Epp/KSOO-AM.
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At 4 PM when the group was taking its picture on the Rotunda steps, KSOO’s Todd Epp and Rick Knobe kicked off Viewpoint University live from the Governor’s office. They talked to state Treasurer Rich Sattgast, Chamber lobbyist Mark Lee, Gov.Daugaard, Attorney General Marty Jackley, Democrats Rep. Spencer Hawley of Brookings and Sen. Billie Sutton of Burke and Republican Rep. Jim Bolin of Canton.

At 8 PM, the busses returned to the Sioux Empire parking lot, returning their tired but happy Sioux Fallsians from a day reminding the legislature about the importance of Sioux Falls.

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