South Dakota
South Dakota lawmakers whittle property tax relief ideas down to governor’s proposal
South Dakota lawmakers nearly came up empty-handed on their property tax relief campaign pledges Monday, until they rescued one of several remaining bills from defeat.
Many lawmakers campaigned on property tax reform in the 2024 election, more than 20 bills were introduced this legislative session addressing the issue, and the governor convened a working group earlier this session to introduce a comprehensive property tax reform package. That bill from the governor was the only one left standing by late Monday, the first day of the session’s final week.
Lawmakers are responding to public calls for relief, largely from non-agricultural property owners. Since 2017, property tax payments have gone up 47% for owner-occupied homes and 36% for commercial property, while rising 3% for agricultural property. Ag land taxes have been held in check by a change from market-based to productivity-based assessments.
Lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives rejected other bills Monday at the Capitol in Pierre that would have provided varying amounts of property tax relief to South Dakota homeowners.
The House of Representatives reconsidered and approved, by a vote of 53-16, an amended version of what the governor has called his “rifle shot” approach to the issue, after the bill failed in the chamber by one vote earlier in the day. The legislation will now go back to the Senate for consideration of the amended language.
Rep. Trish Ladner, R-Hot Springs, has been working to pass property tax reform for several years. She called the legislative proposal a “good first bite.”
“It’s not a solution to every issue,” Ladner told lawmakers on the House floor, “but it gives us the opportunity to pause the skyrocketing valuations and the bleeding that people are feeling.”
Governor’s legislation passes with amendment
Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden’s bill would cap countywide residential assessment growth at 3% annually for five years, cap at 3% for five years the amount local governments can increase tax collections annually based on new construction (that five-year sunset and change to 3% were amended into the bill Monday), exempt some home improvements worth less than 40% of a home’s value from affecting assessments, and expand eligibility among disabled and elderly people for property tax relief programs.
Rep. Greg Jamison, whose own property tax bill failed Monday in the Senate, told lawmakers the Governor’s Office supported the amendment on the governor’s bill “to make something work.” It was enough to sway his vote because the amendment “lightens the load” for growing counties, but he’s still “concerned” about the limiting growth factor.
“But I don’t want to go home empty-handed either,” Jamison said.
Opposing lawmakers said the legislation is flawed because it primarily targets counties with the largest growth. Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, said the legislation aims to manipulate property valuations, which strays from “letting the market work.”
Rep. Liz May, R-Kyle, voted against the bill twice, saying that the solution is to cut spending by local governments or find new revenue streams.
“I hope when we step back in here next year, there better not be any more rifle shots,” May said. “I want a plan.”
Other bills rejected
Earlier Monday, the House rejected Senate Bill 191 in a 62-7 vote. The bill, from Sen. Amber Hulse, R-Hot Springs, would have rolled back assessments for some homeowners and capped assessment growth for all of them.
Some lawmakers in the House made a last-ditch effort to revive a bill to lower property taxes and replace the lost local revenue by increasing the state sales tax. The House shot that effort down 42-27.
The Senate rejected House Bill 1235 in a 21-13 vote. The legislation, from Jamison, would have reduced local taxing districts’ annual inflationary property tax collection growth from a 3% cap to a 2.5% cap.
Opponents said the bill would limit counties, cities and school boards’ ability to meet their budgetary needs. Sen. Randy Deibert, R-Spearfish, told lawmakers the legislation is a “bad bill” that messes with a system “that’s not broken.”
“We have a summer study under a resolution that’ll dig into this and look under the hood,” Deibert said.
Both chambers passed a resolution earlier this session to create a summer task force to “identify impactful, substantive measures” to provide significant and lasting tax relief. The task force will include 16 lawmakers, a representative from the Bureau of Finance and Management, and a representative from the Governor’s Office.
Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, said property tax reform is “one of the most important priorities” of the legislative session.
“We need to take a look at the whole picture of what’s happening,” Karr told lawmakers, “what forces are driving the property taxes to increase and what some of the mechanisms are that we can look at and consider to provide relief.”
(SOUTH DAKOTA SEARCHLIGHT) – Democrats are running for 46 of South Dakota’s 105 legislative seats — leaving 56% of seats without a Democratic candidate.
That doesn’t bode well for the party ahead of November, said Michael Card, professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Dakota.
“It doesn’t put them in a position to actually put forward their ideological policy preferences and have much of a success at getting those enacted,” Card said.
In the state Senate alone, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 22 seats, which is nearly two-thirds of the chamber. In the House, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 38 seats, which is 54% of the chamber.
There is only one Democratic legislative primary in the state: a state Senate race in District 26, which includes the Rosebud Reservation.
There are no statewide Democratic primaries, after announced candidates for governor and U.S. House dropped out or failed to gather enough petition signatures to make the ballot, leaving one Democrat in each of those races.
Statewide candidates will have less name recognition than Republican candidates ahead of the general election, since they didn’t have primaries, Card said. In the Legislature, Card said Democrats “are guaranteeing they won’t get a majority.”
In contrast, Republicans have primary races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Five legislative districts do not have Republican primaries, but do have Republican candidates. There is a Republican candidate running for every legislative seat, except for one House seat in District 27, which includes the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Card said there are several factors leading to poor candidate turnout among Democrats, including a self-fulfilling cycle of failure.
“A lack of winning makes fewer people willing to take a chance on running for office,” Card said. “Why run if I think I’m going to lose?”
Democrats haven’t held a statewide office since 2015, and they haven’t held a majority of either legislative chamber since 1994.
Joe Zweifel, deputy executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, said the organization worked “really, really hard” to convince Democrats to run for office.
“But you can’t force people to run for office,” said Zweifel, of Sioux Falls, who’s running for a legislative seat himself in District 12.
He’s heard the open seats called a “failure.” But he disagrees, choosing to focus on the Democrats who did step forward.
“We’re running quality, good candidates in those races,” Zweifel said.
The South Dakota Democratic Party hopes to build on legislative successes, such as a new law from Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, that commits state funding to cover the family portion of reduced-price school meals.
“That specifically is a return on investment for our donors, and it shows that Democrats are doing good things for the people of South Dakota,” Zweifel said.
Wittman’s success helped inspire Democratic District 13 House of Representatives candidate Ali Rae Horsted, of Sioux Falls, to take a second run at the Legislature. Horsted ran unsuccessfully for the Senate against Sen. Sue Peterson in 2024, garnering 42% of the vote.
Horsted plans to build on that success and the name recognition she already has in the district. She hopes she’ll have “better odds” in this election, since there are two House seats for every district.
Horsted said it would better serve South Dakota if the state had a more balanced Legislature. While the latest Legislature was 92% Republican, 52% of voters in South Dakota are Republican. South Dakota has the lowest percentage of Democrats, 7.6%, in the Legislature nationwide.
“I think it’s important that people have options on the ballot,” Horsted said, “and people are able to vote for candidates that represent their values and their vision for the future of South Dakota.”
Makenzie Huber is a lifelong South Dakotan who regularly reports on the intersection of politics and policy with health, education, social services and Indigenous affairs. Her work with South Dakota Searchlight earned her the title of South Dakota’s Outstanding Young Journalist in 2024, and she was a 2024 finalist for the national Livingston Awards.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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From East River to West River, South Dakota communities share a common goal: creating places where people of all ages can live, work and thrive. AARP’s Domains of Livability provide a framework to help communities do just that. Through the AARP Community Challenge grant program—designed to spark quick, impactful local projects—South Dakota communities are turning big ideas into visible, people-centered improvements.
Read the South Dakota Community Challenge Grant Report, which showcases grant-funded projects across the state designed to build more livable communities.
What Are AARP’s Domains of Livability?
AARP’s approach to livable communities is rooted in eight interconnected domains that together support quality of life at every age:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings – Safe, accessible parks, streets and public buildings
- Transportation – Affordable, accessible options for getting around
- Housing – A range of choices that support independence
- Social Participation – Opportunities to connect, learn and have fun
- Respect and Social Inclusion – Communities that value people of all backgrounds and ages
- Civic Participation and Employment – Meaningful ways to engage and contribute
- Communication and Information – Clear, accessible ways to stay informed
- Community Support and Health Services – Access to services that support well-being
These domains work best when addressed together—something South Dakota communities are embracing.
Turning Vision into Action with Community Challenge Grants
AARP Community Challenge grants fund short-term, “quick-action” projects that can ignite long-term change. Across South Dakota, these grants have helped communities pilot ideas, build momentum and demonstrate what’s possible when residents put people first.
Here’s how local projects are bringing the Domains of Livability to life:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings: Communities have used grants to enhance parks, create pop-up public spaces, add benches and shade and install wayfinding signs. These improvements invite people to linger, gather, and enjoy shared spaces—supporting both physical activity and social connection.
- Transportation: Small, thoughtful transportation projects can make a big difference. Community Challenge grants have supported safer crossings, improved walkability and bikeability around key destinations and the planning or installation of transit amenities like shelters and seating—especially important for older adults and people with mobility challenges.
- Housing and Community Support: Some projects focus on helping residents age in place by improving access to information about home modification resources or by testing neighborhood-level solutions that connect people to services. These efforts strengthen independence and peace of mind.
- Social Participation and Inclusion: Murals, community events and creative placemaking projects funded by AARP grants have sparked community pride and social connection. By involving residents in design and implementation, these projects foster respect, inclusion and a strong sense of belonging across generations.
- Communication, Civic Participation and Opportunity: From hosting community conversations to creating new tools for sharing local information, South Dakota communities are using grants to engage residents in shaping their future. These efforts elevate local voices and encourage ongoing civic participation.
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