BROOKINGS (9-29-26) — South Dakota’s two gubernatorial candidates met last night in a debate hosted by South Dakota Public Broadcasting. The candidates were asked about affordability.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden said the issue is property taxes… “By far what I hear, as far as affordability, is property taxes. This year we passed the largest property tax cut in the history of this state. And with Senate Bill 245 — the combination of Senate Bill 245 and 96 — that represents statewide on average a 34 percent cut in your property taxes for your home.”
Democratic Challenger Dan Ahlers said adequate school funding would help address affordability… “If we do that and we fund education at the state level the way we’re supposed to, your property taxes will go down. When we don’t fund it at the state level, it’s made up in the local effort. We could also be funding school lunches. If we did that, we would save each family in South Dakota $800 per child.”
Rhoden said education funding is always a challenge… “The biggest challenge every year is funding and keeping them adequately funded. We make them a priority, but every year it gets little tougher. Last year as a matter of fact, it was the first year that Medicaid spending passed to us from the federal government exceeded K-12 funding.”
Ahlers said the money is there… “We hear about how we don’t have any money, but yet each and every year we have a surplus. Sixty-Nine million this year, $63 million the year before — and both of those years we funded education at half the statutory requirement.”
Voters will have the final say on November 3.
— Brookings Radio News
