SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A cracker-barrel with state legislators got testy Saturday in Pierre.
Fort Pierre resident Gary Grittner accused legislators and the Governor of being arrogant given last year's sales tax hike for teacher salaries and spending proposals.
Grittner wanted to know why legislators didn't set some goals or policies to go along with teacher's pay increases. He asked what did lawmakers ask of teachers in return for the salary increases? "Zero. There was absolutly no requirement for any kind of improvement in our students. We're gonna have more kids graduate, we're gonna have higher ACT tests. We're gonna have anything? There was zero."
State Representative Mary Duvall says she heard from constituents who told her they wanted better pay for teachers.
Duvall says people came up to her at church, in the grocery store, at the YMCA and said "we need to pay our teachers more. We can't find teachers." She told Grittner that she didn't vote for the sales tax increase out of arrogance.
At one point during the teacher discussion between Grittner and Duvall, Duvall cut off Grittner from continuing to speak his opinion before the moderator encouraged all to change the topic.
District 24 Senator Jeff Monroe, along with representatives Tim Rounds and Mary Duvall, fielded questions from the two dozen local residents that attended.
Duvall was the only local lawmaker that voted for the tax increase for teacher pay. Other topics discussed included the lack of workers in District 24, and quality of life issues like hunting and fishing.