Commentary
Legislature protects us from dangers we didn’t know existed
It’s amazing the amount of effort that the South Dakota Legislature puts into protecting citizens from things they didn’t even know were a threat. Lucky us. Consider ranked choice voting. That’s all you’ll be able to do — consider it. You’ll never vote that way because the Legislature just outlawed it. Held up as one […]
Open space is at the mercy of development and tax policy in the Black Hills
We’re all lucky to live in the Black Hills for its outdoor beauty. Those who enjoy driving through the Hills may not realize that in many cases the idyllic meadows, timber stands, and meandering streams on either side of the road are private land, very often designated as agricultural. Tree farms, or family owned and […]
Something we can all agree on: Crossings reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions
A deer stands paralyzed in the middle of a mountain highway, stunned by the lights and deafening roar of an 18-wheeler barreling toward it. At the last second, the deer leaps back into the forest. This time, the deer and the trucker avoid a fatal collision, but this stretch of Interstate 5 in southern Oregon […]
A state that’s ‘pro-birth’ should also be truly ‘pro-life’
No matter where you fit on the political spectrum, the news on June 24, 2022, was staggering: The Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that guaranteed women the right to an abortion. Polls indicate that two-thirds of the country saw this as a crippling blow to the rights of women. For […]
$3 million is on the table for climate action, with only days left for SD to act
A new federal program has the potential to transform South Dakota’s approach to climate change — should the state be smart enough to take it. Earlier this month, the U.S. EPA launched the first phase of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, an initiative created by last year’s Inflation Reduction Act to fund local- […]
Noem’s next move will reveal her level of tax-cut commitment
Will she or won’t she? After she signed the budget bill on Monday, that’s what South Dakota lawmakers have to be asking themselves right now as they wonder whether Gov. Kristi Noem will veto the state sales tax reduction they endorsed. At the end of the legislative session, lawmakers compromised on a state sales tax […]
Veto of lodging tax bill doesn’t align with Noem’s freedom-loving rhetoric
Gov. Kristi Noem could often be heard during the pandemic saying that South Dakota’s response to COVID-19 was based on freedom. Her message was that the state wasn’t going to tell local governments to shut down — that was up to them. It wasn’t going to shut down some businesses while designating others as essential […]
Don’t legislate love of country into the lesson plan
After twice missing passage by just one vote, it’s likely that next year South Dakota lawmakers will, once again, have to decide if they want to create a Center for Exceptionalism at Black Hills State University. According to the failed legislation, the center would make curriculum available to K-12 schools that would teach “students to […]
Where the sun doesn’t shine in local government
Across the country, March 12 through March 18 is Sunshine Week, a time for shedding a light on open government. In South Dakota, the sun doesn’t shine through too clearly. Here it’s, at best, partly cloudy. Sunshine Week was started in 2005 by the American Society of News Editors. According to its website, the purpose […]
Open primaries should be part of debate over candidate nominations
As the legislative session wound down, Republicans had a tough time deciding the fate of Senate Bill 40, a bill that originally called for primaries, rather than political party conventions, to decide on top state candidates. In the end, Republicans couldn’t agree on how to change the system. In its original form, SB 40 called […]
‘Biggest tax cut ever’? Depends on how you slice it — and on Noem’s reaction
Some legislators are describing the $104 million sales tax reduction they adopted Thursday as the “biggest tax cut in state history.” But is that true? The answer is complex. It might be more accurate to call the current proposal the state’s largest single tax cut in raw, unadjusted dollars. The qualifiers are necessary because of […]
Journalism changing and thriving while Noem avoids press conferences
One of the features of the 2023 legislative session has been something of a head scratcher: Gov. Kristi Noem has quit making herself available to South Dakota media for weekly press conferences. She has chosen to give Capitol reporters the silent treatment at a time when journalism in this state has more outlets than ever […]