South Dakota lawmakers must embrace budget reform

Guest column by Keith Moore, Americans For Prosperity

South Dakota lawmakers are being presented with an opportunity to promote prosperity in our state, one tax reduction at a time.

Just this week, a bill (HB 1137) dedicated to reducing sales tax from 4.5 percent to 4.2 percent across the state passed the Joint Appropriations Committee. While it may not seem like much, this bill would save South Dakotan taxpayers over $173 million. Considering the Appropriations Committee adopted an ongoing revenue projection of $2.38 billion for the 2024 fiscal year, a budget that’s $182 million more than the one proposed by Gov. Noem in December, it’s only fair that South Dakotans keep their hard-earned money.

Across the state, South Dakotans are still feeling the pain of record inflation, stretching the dollar at the grocery store, and feeling less control over rising costs. Excessive tax burdens only make matters worse — taxpayers suffer, the government expands, and the economy stifles.

POINT: South Dakotans want the food tax cut
COUNTERPOINT: Food tax cut not the relief South Dakotans need