The year 1994 has been a case in point. A property tax rollback initiative on the November ballot could cut the State's education revenue in half. South Dakota already ranks last or nearly last in most school funding categories, including teacher pay. Unexpectedly, in the summer of 1994, the State Supreme Court ruled video gambling unconstitutional. Although South Dakota has used this form of gambling to raise revenues since only 1989, it has become heavily dependent on that income.
Most towns have trouble recruiting physicians, counselors, and other human service providers.
The problem is even worse in highly specialized fields. Until recently, for example, this 35,000 square mile region had just one neurologist. Jobs that pay much more than minimum wage are scarce, and many of those are seasonal. Families in which both parents work at minimum wage jobs are common, and they have difficulty providing basic needs. The problem is worse still for single parents.