South Dakota lawmaker wants taxpayers to stop funding ALEC

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America needs more legislators like South Dakota State Sen. Tom Jones (D-District 17). Sen. Jones recently penned a great <="http://www.yankton.net/opinion/editorials/article_5795592e-b2cc-11e2-865d-0019bb2963f4.html">op-edin the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan called “No Tax Dollars For ALEC Dues!”

“Do you want your tax dollars to support higher perks, out of state travel, and membership dues for state legislators to a conservative organization funded by corporate special interests?” the commentary starts, and it only gets going from there.

The whole thing is <="http://www.yankton.net/opinion/editorials/article_5795592e-b2cc-11e2-865d-0019bb2963f4.html">worth a read. It lays bare how taxpayer money goes toward supporting ALEC, a group hell-bent on destroying unions and giving more power to corporations and billionaires.

“On the last day of the legislative session, the Republican-controlled legislature hiked its own budget $5,000 per lawmaker and this month they began to spend the money by voting for more out-of-state travel, including trips to the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conventions where conservative lawmakers are handed model legislation written by corporate special interests,” Sen. Jones writes.

“Why is this important for taxpayers like you to know? … For every dollar Republicans spend on ALEC, we are taking away not just one dollar from taxpayers, students, and veterans today but inviting model ALEC bills that reduce investments in our kids, seniors, and veterans for generations to come.”

Keep up the good work, <="http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2012/MemberDetail.aspx?Member=172">Sen. Jones!