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Age
45
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There are several things the state government can do to help make housing more affordable. The first step is to actually make this issue a priority in the Legislature. If I’m elected, here are some ideas I would look at to support affordable housing:
• Work with local leaders to address barriers to responsible housing development.
• See what the Legislature can do to support efforts that help people find homes they can afford.
• Investigate how much speculation is driving housing prices, and, if needed, pursue laws to discourage it.
• I would also look at protections for renters, such as rent stabilization and requiring earlier notice for evictions and rent increases.
There are two things I would focus on here. First, I would do everything I could to ensure the legislature at least follows the law and increases K-12 education funding each year by the rate of inflation or 3%, whichever is lower. In fact, I might consider working to change the law to increase funding to whichever is higher between the two, rather than lower. Second, I would also work to start a state-funded pre-K program. These two steps would be a big step forward in supporting public education and investing in the young people in our state.
South Dakotans can be proud that our state has been a leader in the initiative and referendum process almost the entire time we have been a state. If elected, I would work to protect and strengthen the rights of citizens to make their voices heard through the initiative and referendum process, including working to repeal some of the hurdles placed in the way of citizens over the last few years to make it harder to use the initiative and referendum process.
First, I would work to protect the things we have that help ensure people can exercise their voting rights and maintain election integrity – like the use of paper ballots, allowing voters to bring an aide to help them vote, and the 46-day early vote window. I would also work with stakeholders to ensure the processes for transporting, securing, and counting votes are clearly communicated to increase confidence in the results. Finally, I would work with officials to make voting easier through actions such as adopting online and automatic voter registration and increasing the number of early voting locations and their hours of operation.
That so few steps have been taken to support access to affordable, high-quality childcare is one of the strongest arguments for change in Pierre. South Dakota is one of just a handful of states that do not provide funding for childcare access, and that is shameful. The Sioux Falls Childcare Collaborative published a report with several recommendations for actions to be taken to help increase access to childcare a couple of years ago, and if elected, I would see what needs updating in that report and work to turn what we can of those recommendations into policy – including creating a statewide childcare task force, creating a childcare business incentive grant, and updating childcare assistance.
If I’m elected, I will focus on important challenges like:
• Affordability: I’ll fight for policies that lower the cost of living and keep more money in your pocket.
• Fully Funding Education: I’m committed to working to ensure our schools and teachers have the resources they need to give the children of South Dakota a world-class education.
• Protecting Your Rights: I will fight to make sure the freedoms of the people of South Dakota are respected, and our constitutional rights are shielded from government overreach.
• Cleaning Up Politics: Big money donors and special interests have too much power in the politics of our state. I will work to ensure that your voice—and your vote—carries more weight than their money.
Affordable housing requires a multi-pronged approach. First, conduct a regulatory review to eliminate rules that raise costs without clear safety benefits. Second, increase supply by incentivizing starter homes, smaller lots, and diverse housing types. Third, ensure families aren’t crowded out by large investors in the single-family market. Fourth, improve data to identify cost drivers and delays. Finally, focus any assistance on boosting new construction, not just demand, so we expand supply and keep homes attainable for working families.
State government should ensure every student has access to a quality education by funding schools fairly, investing in early learning, supporting teachers, maintaining strong standards, and creating affordable pathways from pre-K through college or career training.
South Dakota’s initiative and referendum process is a storied part of our history and an important check on government. I support keeping it strong, but balanced. It should remain a tool for South Dakotans, not out-of-state money or special interests. Because of this I support stronger transparency on funding. I also believe constitutional amendments should face a higher bar than regular laws. At the same time, I’m cautious about adding new restrictions that make it harder for citizens to get measures on the ballot.
I support secure elections and full access for every eligible voter. With new laws like SB 175 in effect, auditors need to be prepared, and eligible voters should not confused or turned away. South Dakota already has voter ID, accurate rolls, and post-election audits. The focus should be enforcing the law, verifying results, and keeping voting straightforward for lawful voters. Election integrity and voter access go together, and we should insist on both
I support a careful, data-driven review of child care regulations, but we should not cut regulations haphazardly. Regulations that truly protect kids’ health and safety must stay. At the same time, we should identify and remove unnecessary red tape that drives up costs without improving outcomes. The bigger issue appears to be workforce shortages and low pay for providers, which limit supply and raise prices. The state should look for ways to expand access to quality child care and make sure any reforms are based on facts, not assumptions.
South Dakota’s biggest challenges are affordability, mainly in housing and childcare, and sustaining growth smart growth.
