Manderson businessman David Plume favors legalizing alcohol on the reservation but said he voted no in the referendum because he had deep misgivings about tribal-run stores.

The tribe could need as much as $1 million to set up a store, stock it and hire staff to run it, he said. That likely would require the tribe to take out a loan and not make a profit for several years, hampering its ability to pay for treatment centers or alcohol prevention programs.

Plume also said he believed there were inherent problems with government-run businesses. For example, he said, firing unproductive employees can get political and be tough for elected officials.

"If I come from a family with a lot of connections, I can come back and make life miserable for the person who fired me or I can run for office, get elected and go after that person," Plume said.