1: Punish speculating housing corporations, by putting taxes on vacant units. This will either force them to stop the artificial scarcity they have made or have more tax fund which can go to-
2: Funding & expanding state housing programs. This will not only make more homes available but also lower housing prices via providing an alternative to the speculators. I know some people dislike the state doing this, but I personally find it necessary.
3: Incentivizing rural housing. Building more homes outside of Sioux falls & the surrounding towns, would bring down prices, simply by having more supply in areas that have lower land value.
More funding.
I live in Lincoln county & in Tea specifically, a lot of our local taxes goes to our school system. As a person who graduated from those schools in 2020, I can tell you that it is being well spent. I can also tell you, people have not stopped yelling about how high local taxes are because of it. Just having the state willing to put more into schools, especially rural schools who aren't as fortunate to have enough people to fund good quality education, would do a lot.
Also a free vocational training program, for high schoolers & adults. Doesn't matter if it's volunteer coordinated or state funded, just making such programs available & legitimate in the eyes of employers/the state, will help people grow & find success.
I would like it to be easier to be able to get initiatives/referendums onto the ballot. Several ways are available to do this.
Simply lowering the threshold of signature needed would help. Granting more time to collect signature would help, for example letting the first day after an election be the start date would grant around 5 more months. Lastly allowing an electronic way to collect & verify signature would help a lot, heck it could even be done on the Secretary of states website.
I want to make sure people who can vote, are not prevented from voting via state interference. Voting should not be limited by ones ability to afford the documentation to vote.
Honestly the SAFE act in our state was unnecessary & is going to be used to deny citizens our right to vote. Having a system for all citizens in the state to quickly & freely be able to register to vote/ability to vote, will greatly help in mitigating it's negative effects.
There is a 2 pronged solution to this issue.
1: Providing local sources of childcare for areas of the state that lack any, would be a good step for a lot of rural areas in the state. If necessary, integrate it with local schools since they already have the basic infrastructure, just give more funding to make up for the new increased workload.
2: Making sure that any current childcare institutes are getting the resources they need to run well with staff that are payed a good wage. Nothing causes the quality of services to fall faster, than an under payed workforce, & that won't do for our kids. Grants, general subsidies, & tax breaks to these institutes can be used to maintain & even expand the services that they can provide.
Affordability, Affordability & Affordability.
Nearly everything is getting more expensive & doing so in a hurry. From housing, pharmaceuticals, food, & now with the SAFE act, even our ability to vote has gotten more expensive for us as well.
The state needs to act to help to stabilize & lower the current cost to live & to subsequently, find a way for us to earn more to help make up in ever growing gap between wage & basic living costs.
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Housing is getting out of reach because we have ignored the real drivers for too long. Property taxes keep climbing, infrastructure is stretched thin, and we are approving rapid growth without a plan. The state needs to take pressure off homeowners by addressing property taxes directly, while working with cities to make sure growth pays for itself instead of being pushed onto existing residents. We also need to support practical solutions like starter homes and workforce housing, not just large developments. I am a plumber. I see the cost of building and maintaining homes every day. We need real solutions, not talking points.
Strong schools are the foundation of strong communities, and right now our growth is outpacing our planning. Classrooms are getting crowded and teachers are being asked to do more with less. The state needs to focus on funding that actually reaches classrooms, supporting teachers so we can retain good ones, and making sure fast growing areas like District 6 are not left behind. We also need to respect multiple paths, including trade education, because not every student is meant for a four year degree. I believe in accountability, but also in supporting the people doing the work every day.
South Dakota’s ballot initiative process is one of the most important tools citizens have to hold government accountable. I support protecting it, not making it harder for everyday people to use. If anything, we should be making sure the process is transparent and accessible, while preventing out of state money from dominating it. This system exists so the people can have a direct voice when government is not listening. I trust the voters of South Dakota to make their own decisions, and I will always defend their right to do so.
We should be able to do two things at once, protect election integrity and make sure every eligible voter can easily cast a ballot. I will be watching to make sure laws are not creating unnecessary barriers for working people, seniors, or rural voters. At the same time, we should continue commonsense safeguards that maintain confidence in the system. I believe most South Dakotans want fair, secure, and accessible elections, and we can achieve that without turning neighbors against each other or making voting harder than it needs to be.
Childcare is one of the biggest pressures on working families right now. For many, it costs as much as a mortgage payment. The state needs to focus on practical solutions that support both families and providers, including expanding access, reducing unnecessary barriers to opening childcare businesses, and supporting workers in the field so providers can stay open. This is not just a family issue, it is a workforce issue. If parents cannot find or afford childcare, they cannot work. We need solutions that reflect the reality families are living every day.
The biggest challenges facing South Dakota today are rising property taxes, rapid growth without planning, and a lack of accountability in state government. After decades of one party control, we are seeing the results. Homeowners are being squeezed, infrastructure is struggling to keep up, and working families feel like they are falling behind. I believe in accountability. If something is not working, we fix it. That is what I do every day as a plumber. South Dakotans deserve leadership that is willing to be honest about where we are and take responsibility for where we are going.
