03/19/2026
LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP-UP POST #1: Passing the Biggest Property Tax Relief Package in South Dakota History.
The main run of the 101st Legislative Session has come to a close, and I’m happy to say we delivered some real solutions on the biggest issues facing our state.
The number one issue heading into session was high property taxes. Almost everyone now agrees that high property taxes are a serious problem—but reaching consensus on how to fix the problem is far more difficult. So many good people have done so much work to try to bring about desperately needed relief for homeowners. Last legislative session, I created the Property Tax Task Force, which spent the summer hearing directly from homeowners and developing real solutions.
Finally, this session, all that hard work paid off. I was honored to lead the effort in the House of Representatives to pass the BIGGEST property tax cut in South Dakota History.
The bill we passed does two key things:
(1) it uses $55 million sitting in state reserves—money collected from taxpayers over and above what was needed (overtaxed, in my opinion!)—and returns that money to YOU in the form of property tax relief.
(2) When the temporary sales tax reduction “sunsets” and the sales tax returns from 4.2% to 4.5%, the bill gives 100% of that money BACK TO YOU for property tax relief.
(It’s important to note that I’ve always fought to make that sales tax cut down to 4.2% permanent. Unfortunately, over the years, including this year, there were never enough votes to do so. So, if the sales tax rate is going back up to 4.5%, putting that money 100% back in your pocket in the form of property tax relief is the right thing to do!)
Here’s the bottom line:
When combined with the Governor’s property tax relief bill, homeowners will see their property taxes go DOWN around 25% to 50%.
In less than ten years, this amounts to more than $1 BILLION in property tax relief for South Dakota homeowners.
Under different leadership, this money could have been taxed from you and used to just grow government and bureaucracy–but we chose a better path. I want you to keep more of your hard earned money! So I’m fighting for you. For your family. For affordable living and the dream of home ownership. We are putting the people of our state FIRST again.
The American dream lives here in South Dakota. But protecting that takes leadership–leadership committed to WE the PEOPLE–willing to work together on the biggest issues facing South Dakotans and deliver real conservative wins.
That’s the kind of leadership I have brought as Speaker of the House. It’s the same leadership I will bring to the Governor’s office.
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