Some family farmers and small business owners are encouraging South Dakota voters to vote NO on initiated measure 15 during the November election. The initiated measure proposes a sales tax increase from four cents to five cents on every dollar. SDPB’s Cassie Bartlett has this story.
The funds raised from the proposed tax increase are designated for K-12 education and Medicaid. It’s expected to bring in $180 million per year. Michael Held is the administrative director of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. He says $180 million is too much to compensate the two areas for previous years’ cuts. Held acknowledges that the No on 15 Committee has a tough fight to win.
“I would describe this as an uphill battle. We’re the David’s and they’re the Goliaths. Not only do they have the huge amounts of money, they have very noble cause on their side, causes on their side. But again, too much money and the wrong way to go about it,” Held says.
Held says funding for education and Medicaid should be addressed during the legislative session with budgets, rather than taxes. For South Dakota Public Broadcasting, I’m Cassie Bartlett.