‘Bastard stepchild of local government’ denied new taxation authority — again

Cash-strapped counties had hoped to get new revenue ‘tool’

The Lincoln County Commission in December approved a $54.8 million bond to pay for new public safety and criminal justice facilities. (File photo)

PIERRE — For the second time in the less than a year, the state Legislature has said no to the idea of giving South Dakota counties more taxation authority.

The South Dakota Senate Thursday resoundingly rejected Senate Bill 99, a proposal to allow counties to collect a half penny sales tax — with approval of cash-strapped county voters. The dollars, should the bill have passsed, could have been used on jails and criminal justice facilities.

The cost of public safety services has counties facing straits, and no lawmaker opposing the legislation denied the disproportionate load counties bear with only two taxing options to increase tax revenues: bonds and opt-outs.

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But 28 senators torpedoed the legislation anyway, criticizing the bill as a tax increase, an implementation headache for the state revenue office, and a reward to a systematic problem.