•  Sen. Billie Sutton of Burke, the Senate Assistant Minority Leader, said a healthy workforce is also critical. "We have an opportunity this session to expand health care for low wage workers in South Dakota who don't earn enough money to buy insurance in the marketplace. Nothing could be more important to productivity in economic terms. Some folks aren't able to work because of health issues that might be alleviated if their illnesses were treated."
•  Sutton said South Dakota would reap $182 for every $1 dollar invested by expanding Medicaid for low income workers. "By investing $1.5 million of state dollars, we would receive $274 million in federal benefits and those dollars would be a huge boost to our state's economy."
•  Rep. Julie Bartling of Burke, the Assistant Minority Leader in the House, said the state's low wage culture is also damaging the economy. "Being 50th in wages might get us high rankings in places friendly to business from think tanks, but in real life it is hurting us because qualified young workers are choosing to move elsewhere."
•  Bartling said the minimum wage adjustment on the 2014 ballot is a start, but South Dakotans must do more. "We have to change our mindsets. We have restaurant workers who can't afford lunch and health care workers who can't afford insurance. That's wrong."