More information on property tax proposal

Greetings and Merry Christmas! Jesus is the reason for the season.
So what’s up? Well, my emails are flooded with letters about library and South Dakota Public Television cuts suggested in the governor’s address. Remember it has to get through the legislature before anything can be cut. I’m against both of those bad ideas and will do everything I can to stop them.
Now, to the hottest subject ever, runaway property taxes! Following is a bill prime-sponsored by Rep. Tony Venhuizen of Soux Falls and Sen. Randy Diebert of Spearfish. Sen. Hulse, Rep. Ladner and yours truly are all sponsors of this needed legislation. Here it is:
This is the year to cut property taxes.
Bill from Rep. Tony Venhuizen and Sen. Randy Deibert. Co-sponsors include Reps. Trish Ladner and Tim Goodwin and Sen. Amber Hulse. Others are being invited.
Our proposal
• 35 percent average property tax cut for homeowners
• Paid for with increase in sales tax from 4.2 to 5.0 percent
How does it work?
• Owner-occupied general education and special education levies for 2025 (paid in 2026) would be set to $0
• Currently $2.679 mill levy for owner-occupied general ed and $1.488 for special ed
• This lowers owner-occupied property tax by $416.70 for every $100,00 of taxable value ($300,000 saves $1250.10)
• State sales tax would go up at the end of 2025, the same time that property tax relief occurs.
One hundred percent of tax relief goes to
South Dakotans
• Owner-occupied properties must be owned by South Dakota residents, living in their own homes.
• This means out-of-state owners or vacation homes do not get the property tax cut.
• State sales tax is paid by everyone, including visitors to South Dakota
• Increase of 0.8 percent sales tax is 3¢ on a $4 loaf of bread
This plan has
no effect on:
• Ag property or Commercial property-levies stay the same
• School funding formula-it’s dollar-in, dollar-out
• City and county funding
To the citizens of District 30 and to the men and women in uniform, in honor of all who served, in respectful memory of all who fell and in great appreciation to those who serve today, thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you.
Lt. Colonel U.S. Army, retired; Chair of Military Veterans Affairs; member of Transportation, and Ag and Natural Resources Committees