Mueller, Bush vie for District 1 commission

Two Republican candidates are vying for a four-year seat on the Pennington County (PC) Commission for District 1—Mike Mueller and Zachary Bush. The winner of the June 2 primary election will face Independent Leslie Hladysz in the general election.

Mueller has been a county resident for 35 years and lives in South Central PC. He is a retired mechanical engineer with over 37 years of experience in facilities management and construction. Currently, Mueller is the PC Grand Old Party (GOP) vice chair and the South Dakota GOP Region 6 director, which includes five West River counties.

“Since the late 1980s, I also served on boards (as either chair or vice-chair) for the SD Mines Hardrock Club, SD Mines Exempt Employees Association, Rapid City Elks Lodge, Black Hills ASHRAE, regional vice chair of Region IX ASHRAE, SDM Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, SD Citizens for Liberty and the West Dakota Water Development Board,” said Mueller.

“Since I have served decades as a volunteer on multiple boards and bring management work experience with problem solving skills using logic, I believe I can humbly serve the people of PC. I seek to make decisions based on both the rule of law and facts,” Mueller continued.

With his work in both the public and private sectors, Mueller said he understands how tax dollars are received and spent.

“Property tax burdens have been a major issue for many years. With a statewide average of 27 percent of all property taxes going to counties, I believe all aspects of county government need to be reviewed. I would like to introduce zero based budgeting (like businesses have to do) for all county departments. That means building each budget from a blank piece of paper instead of padding the former budget by a percentage. This will also remove the ‘use it or lose it’ approach to budgeting.

“Another new idea I will bring is to have at least one evening meeting per month of the board of commissioners, just as city councils and school boards do for their meetings. This would permit the hard working taxpayers to attend meetings and have a chance to speak to the commission,” said Mueller.

On the topic of property taxes, Mueller said it starts with spending and sorting needs against wants. He said “too many programs have crept into government budgets.”

“Counties must provide some services by state statute, but too many feel- good programs have been created and funded. We need to get back to the essentials. The top priority of government is to protect the people, so having an effective and efficient law enforcement division and also having safe roads would be part of those essentials,” said Mueller.

Some other items Mueller would like to address over the next four years are government spending, property taxes, property rights, data centers and population increases.

When asked if he was in favor of the proposed new PC jail, Mueller said, “I need more information with regard to the existing facility condition, capacity trends and options of rehabilitation programs that could provide inmates opportunities to reduce recidivism.”

Mueller said he was not in favor of moving county offices.

“Before the purchase of 900 Concourse Drive, I asked if some county employees that did not need to directly serve the public could work from home (remotely), as what occurred during COVID, like many private and public sector employees did. I also asked about the condition of the facility and ongoing operational costs with that large facility. I also mentioned that if growth in government has caused this space need, then that growth needs to be analyzed better. I understand that only about 60-70 percent of 900 Concourse Drive is being used right now,” Mueller said.

In closing, Mueller said, “As an engineer, I took an oath called the Obligation of the Engineer. It is a commitment to do ‘public good’ with my work. That oath, as well as the oath to follow the Constitution, will be constant reminders of how I will represent the people of PC.”

Bush was born in Hot Springs, returned home in 2024 from over 22 years in the military and now lives in Hill City. He is a veteran, general contractor, substitute teacher and in the community every day.

“I’m running because District 1 has been left on the back burner too long. The ranchers, small-town folks and families from Hill City and Keystone out to Wall deserve a commissioner who actually lives here and fights for us instead of just nodding along with whatever Rapid City wants.

“I spent years in the military learning that real leadership means looking out for your people and protecting what matters. That’s what I’m bringing to the table—plain talk, steady hands and a promise that our rural way of life won’t get sold out for somebody else’s big plans,” said Bush.

If elected, Bush said he would bring the same qualities that served him well in the military to the table: “show up on time, do what you say you’re going to do, and never forget who you’re working for. I listen first. Then, I make the call. I don’t grandstand, and I don’t waste money. Folks around here know I shoot straight. I’ve got the backing of some good people already on the commission, so I won’t be learning on the job. District 1 needs someone who’s ready the day the gavel falls.”

Even now, Bush said three issues that keep him up at night include, “property taxes that keep climbing and pushing seniors and young families right out of their homes; the jail mess—overcrowded, falling apart and costing us more every year we kick the can down the road; and growth coming fast while rural District 1 still gets the leftovers on roads, emergency services and basic attention.”

“We can’t let the county seat swallow everything while the rest of us pay the bill and get ignored,” said Bush.

Regarding the proposed jail, Bush said, “I’m for fixing it, because public safety isn’t optional. The current building is a liability—we’re already paying out the nose for overtime, repairs and shipping inmates elsewhere. But I’m not signing a blank check for some fancy new palace. It has to be built smart, kept on a tight budget and done in phases if that’s what keeps the cost down. Taxpayers deserve better than another big project that runs over and sticks them with the tab.”

Looking at the numbers, Bush was in favor of moving county offices. He said, “It saved millions compared to building new and gave us the parking we needed. That was the fiscally responsible call. But I hear the folks in District 1 loud and clear—it’s a longer drive now. My job is to make sure county services don’t punish rural residents for living where we live. Better online tools, longer phone hours and maybe even regular outreach days out our way so nobody has to burn half a tank of gas just to drop off paperwork.”

As for property tax issues, Bush said, “We stop treating the same families like an endless ATM. Hard caps on spending increases so the county can’t just keep growing its budget every year. Zero-based budgeting—every department starts from zero and has to prove why they need every single dollar. Fair, predictable assessments so people aren’t blindsided. And I’ll push hard in Pierre for real reforms that protect long-time homeowners, ag producers and folks on fixed incomes. We didn’t build this county by taxing it to death.”

In closing, Bush said, “I’m not a politician. I’m a veteran who chose to raise my family right here in PC because I still believe in this place. If you elect me, I’ll be easy to find—at the feed store, the diner, the fair or the town hall. No gatekeepers, no runaround. District 1 has been good to me and mine. I just want the chance to give something back by making county government actually work for the people who live outside the city limits. Thanks for reading this, and I hope you’ll give me a shot.”

Hladysz has chosen to have her answers printed closer to the general election.