VIEWPOINT | Large-scale economic development projects pick winners and losers

Guest column by Chris Larson

G.E.D. - General Educational Development: Provides an avenue for adults or those who did not finish high school to earn an equivalent credential.”

(also)

Government Economic Development: Provides an avenue for politicians to curry favor with selected private businesses by giving them special tax dodges and taxpayer money.

You may have noticed an abundance of news stories and opinion pieces in South Dakota lately around the suddenly controversial term “Economic Development.” This is a reaction by a group of influential and powerful “business leaders,” politicians and quasi-governmental “development” organizations, a group that some of us have labeled “Development Bros,” as a shorthand tool to help with identification.