SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – As the South Dakota legislative session nears the end, both lawmakers and the Governor agree that they want to find a tax cut, but they can’t agree on exactly what the tax cut should be.
The senate easily passed out a “Property tax cut” proposal this afternoon. As we approach the final week of the legislative session, lawmakers will have to compromise on which tax to cut, and they’ll do it with the looming threat of a Noem veto overhead.
Noem has threatened to veto the budget bill if the legislature does not produce a permanent tax cut, preferring a full cut of the grocery tax. She was also critical early this week of a proposed sales tax cut by the senate that would only last two years.
“If the legislature pursues a temporary tax cut, and instead goes on a spending spree, it will hurt our families and businesses,” said Governor Noem. “Businesses and families will not move to South Dakota for a temporary tax cut.”
Thursday, the senate easily passed a bill that would send $425 checks to every owner-occupied home in the state, which is intended to relieve property tax burdens.
”Why wouldn’t we want folks to have some property tax relief?” said Republican Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree. “Again, this is one hundred and four million property tax relief, that’s 245,302 houses that would get a rebate of 425 dollars.”
Earlier this week, the house sent a clean general sales tax cut bill to the senate after they added a “sunset clause” to their original sales tax cut bill, which would have made the cut only last until 2025.
“We are keenly aware that it takes two to tango if you are going to cut taxes, we are looking forward to working with our friends in the senate, and learning their priorities so we can see where we match up,” said Republican House Majority Leader Will Mortenson.
Legislative leadership Thursday said that they will be in constant communication between now and the end of the session to get this tax cut hashed out, and they believe they will deliver some sort of tax cut to South Dakotans.
Source: Dakota News Now
