Legislation that allows landowners a say in developing road districts passes unopposed through the Senate Local Government committee. Under current law, only residents of that county are allowed to participate in road district elections. Senate Bill 65 attempts to change the requirements to any eligible voter who owns property in the affected area. Senator Mark Kirkeby is one of the prime sponsors of the bill. Kirkeby resides in Pennington County, but owns land and structures in Meade. He says he pays about $200 in taxes to the road district in Meade County.
“I would submit to you that it in fact is taxation without representation. Currently, I have no say-so, whatsoever, in not only the maintenance what they’re going to do with the road—I actually live on the end of the cul-de-sac, so I’m hoping that something may or may not be accomplished. But even if it is just $200 per year, or $20, or it could very well be $2,000, I have absolutely no input, no say on the improvements or lack thereof that I have access to my property,” Kirkeby says.
Kirkeby says this bill follows legislation that passed last year that changes the same requirements in watershed districts. Members of the committee say they support what the bill attempts to do, but say there are still a few kinks to work out. It now heads to the full Senate for discussion.