Are property taxes a problem in S.D.? We asked candidates

Simplified: Sioux Falls Simplified spoke face-to-face with dozens of legislative candidates in the metro area. All candidates were asked the same slate of questions, and you can find comprehensive coverage for each district at sfsimplified.com.

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Here's what we asked:

Are property taxes a problem in South Dakota? And how do you weigh the needs of the taxpayers with the needs of local governments to provide essential services?

Here's what candidates said:

District 2

Adam Long: "This is my bread and butter. This is what I like.

"The thing with property taxes is, yes, they're too high, and we’re increasing them to be able to supplement areas that are shorted right now or they feels shorted. But, again, going back to that how much tax dollars do we actually need?
"We don't actually know because we've never run a tight enough budget to actually even know what is truly required of (the state) to run a sufficient and efficient area in the government."

Manuel Luschas: "From what I heard on the campaign trail, yes, property taxes are a big problem. That was the number one issue that was mentioned by people I talked to at the door.

"From a funding perspective, property tax mostly goes to fund schools around here. I think in the grand scheme of things, we seem to be OK with the level that we're funding them at right now.
"I would be in favor of capping valuations or turning the mil levy down to alleviate that pressure on demographics in the population."

Blake Rife: "I get my property tax bill every year and ... it sucks, but I think, at the end of the day, I look at this and I go, well, it’s going to schools. We've got to have a functional government here, and if we’re not paying into government then it’s not functional.

"I think the biggest problem is our wages continue to stagnate in SD and particularly if you live in a small town in SD the economic opportunities are pretty limited. We need to address that issue.
"Part of that is investment from the state into creating more competition in the workplace (and, increasing, for example) people’s opportunity to unionize, collective bargaining.
"Say I noticed my boss is driving a Ferrari, but I am driving a Chevy from 1996 — maybe it’s time we start spreading that out a little bit. I think that would be OK.
"I think it’s cheap and easy politics to say, 'Oh well let’s just decrease property taxes,' but then to not address the major issue. It makes us look like we don’t want to do anything, and I’m just not that kind of guy."

See more from District 2 candidates here:

District 6

Garret Campbell: "In Lincoln County, absolutely. I can't say for anywhere else in South Dakota.

"There's a couple thing we could do about it. We could shift around the tax burden, increase sales tax, legalize marijuana and tax the hell out of that.
"I know people don't want a higher grocery tax, but we could do a sin tax. I’m all for lowering property taxes and raising something else to replace it.
"We could also just slow our roll on growth over here because we’re growing pretty quick. We're growing too fast for people locally."

Jerry Jongeling: "I know they did a lot of good work here last session. It's not going to be fixed with one bill or two bills. It's going to be an ongoing problem that we have to keep addressing every year, fine-tune and whatnot.

"I would like to see what comes out of last session, how that works, before implementing anything different. ... The number one thing we need to support are our bridges and our roads
"We can't keep kicking that can down the road. I know property taxes are a priority, and I'd really like to see how these latest measures affect the county."

Elliott Neff: "I don't have the specific charts in front of me, but my understanding was that we have one of the highest rates in the country. Now, is that correct? I've got to double check. It doesn't mean the amount paid is the highest because of where we live, but if the rate is already so high, that seems like a challenge.

"Now, how do you fix it? Well, that's easier said than done, right? Because sometimes if you have a wound, the first step isn't to cure. The first step is to stop the bleeding. So, to me, there's incremental steps that need to be taken. But should taxes go up? From the outside before I'm looking into all the detailsI would say absolutely not. Let's learn to live with what we have. Number two, what can we do to reduce? Let's identify the waste where it can be found."

Austin Wolf acknowledged that property taxes are a problem – sharing an example of a person who is struggling to pay $500/month in property taxes on a property they inherited.

"I hear a lot of people talking about different ideas, and none of them that I've heard have been very feasible," he added, citing a proposal he heard to raise traffic fines to offset property taxes.
"We have to come up with something, whether it's sales tax, income tax – it has to be something real. We have to have a real solution to this, not raising traffic fines or things like that."

See more from District 6 candidates here:

District 9

Amanda Potter: "I am not here to tell anyone that the pain they are feeling is not real. If we have a majority of people saying, 'Property tax is hurting me,' then property taxes are hurting them.

"Insurance and property taxes are all rolled into one mortgage payment, typically. A lot of times, people are seeing their mortgage payment going up, escrow going up – sometimes it is because insurance is skyrocketing. ... I wonder if sometimes the insurance is a part of that to.
"That said, once again, I think the state not fully funding education is affecting people in a way they don't see because it comes to opt outs and (higher) property taxes. That is the number one way the state should be helping people is making sure the state is paying their fair share like they are legally obligated to do."

Megan Tschetter: "Families need real relief, and the cost of living is not going down.

"I know that there were so many bills last year that came for property taxes and we all know that only very little was passed for that relief. At least there was something, but I believe that we need to reduce spending and return savings to the people rather than shifting the burden to other taxes.
"I will do everything in my power. I’m only one vote, but I will do everything in my power to help the people in that area because I know it's a real burden on people."

Tesa Schwans detailed two bills past in the 2026 legislative session – SB 96 and SB 245 – the former which allowed counties to increase sales tax to provide property tax relief, and the latter which sunset sales tax relief.

"It's important to say that constituents across the state had different opinions. That's why SB 96 is optional for counties to opt into. Some counties aren't seeing as much of a squeeze as other counties."
She also noted the various property tax relief programs people can apply for if they are elderly, disabled, veterans, etc.

See more from District 9 candidates here:

District 10

Liz Larson (Senate): "I don’t hear that from tons of (constituents), but when I do hear it it’s usually from people on fixed incomes who’ve had houses that’ve gone so much up in value, and now they’re kind of up the creek without a paddle.

"It is a problem. That said, the answer is not what the legislature did this year, which was to put $58 million into a fund to bail out the largest property owners in the state. Even Republicans called that the Ted Turner tax/subsidy. That was just, to me, crazy.
"Whatever we do with property taxes, and it is a legitimate issue, it can’t be just shifting those taxes onto somebody else. Democrats (last session) offered an alternative that would've made a more equitable solution."

Michael Dupic (Senate): Declined to be interviewed.

Adam Bair (House): "I think the property tax issue speaks more to the bigger problem that we have with affordability in our state. Housing and homes have become unaffordable for people in just about every aspect of our communities.

"I do not believe that the solution to fixing the property tax problem is shifting that tax burden to renters, and I do not believe that’s the correct choice to make.
"I think that shifting that tax burden into different areas, like repealing a sales tax on groceries and things like that, would be far more impactful than the current plan to help with property taxes. That’s because everybody needs relief from this affordability crisis.
"Is it a problem? Yes. Property taxes are high and that needs to be addressed. There are programs in place that can help people who need help with property tax–related issues. It's worth taking the time to look at those programs and see where we can modernize and update those programs to make it easier for folks to apply for them."

Kathleen Brudvig (House): "Here in South Dakota, overall, we do have a pretty low tax burden. We rely heavily on sales tax and property tax. We don’t have a state income tax. We do have that sales tax, and we have the property taxes. And we’re just barely meeting our obligations to our citizens. ...

"If we did try to find a property tax cut we could be looking at something like an income tax to make up that deficit. I do think relief programs are important.
"If at the state level we are funding our schools appropriately — meeting that 3% (or inflation, whichever is lower) — we wouldn’t need to have opt-outs and wouldn’t need to rely so heavily on local property taxes."

Kimberly Petterson (House): "I think property taxes are out of control. I do think something needs to happen for us to start decreasing property taxes. Many of my constituents in my district are living paycheck to paycheck. I’ve got a lot of retirees. I’ve met with a lot of retirees in my district that are seriously being taxed out of their homes ...

"Young people are having a hard time affording their first house. Median home prices for a new couple are so much higher than when I bought my first house. With that on top of the property taxes, it’s becoming unaffordable for young people to buy a house as well. What the answer is, I don’t exactly know.
"I don’t want to see a state income tax either, but I think lawmakers have to look at the budget very, very carefully and see where things can be decreased or cut. Spending is out of control, I think, at our government level as well."

John Pohlman (House): "Property taxes have become a dog whistle in a very big way over the last election, and it is something that people bring up when I’m knocking on doors.

"I don’t think we’re done with the property tax debate in the legislature. As a result of what happened last session, relief has been provided, and we’ll have to see whether that relief has been felt by the public.
"Offsetting it with sales tax, I’m not sure, is a great idea. I struggle with the idea of me experiencing property tax relief on the backs of people who can’t afford homes. So I think there’s a lot more work to be done with regard to property taxes. Is it an issue and do people think it’s a problem? Absolutely, and as a result, it will merit continued debate."

See more from District 10 candidates here:

District 11

Chris Karr (Senate): Did not respond to interview requests.

Aaron Matson (Senate): "Yeah, I think it seems like there are some places in South Dakota where it’s a big issue and a big problem, and we need to work on that. We need to find a way that everybody is included and not just some.

"With tax relief and property tax and even some sales tax relief, which some of the Democratic caucus was talking about last session, (we should) make sure that all South Dakotans have some kind of relief.
"It is always a balance ... As a legislator my job would be to be in conversation with individual citizens, city and county governments, and the different stakeholders to find a way that attempts to try to find some common ground on this and to better work together."

Brian Mulder (House): "The funny thing is that when I went door to door this primary season, I didn't have one person in my neighborhood bring up property taxes. Not one.

"A lot has been made of property taxes in the political conversation. It's hard for me to determine how great of a need it is for us to do any more than we've already done or what the legislature's already done."

Sonja Mentzer (House): "That’s exactly it – there needs to be a balance.

"I talked to a county employee just two days ago regarding property taxes and as they were stating, it seems to be this very easy thing to cry and complain about. But as she’s telling me, do you know how many people call the county to have their property reassessed or talk to us about it? None – it’s not happening.
"There’s no fat to trim (in county budgets). As much as I think it’s easy to complain about, and we could probably look at how (property tax) is assessed. I just don’t think that it’s realistic to eliminate or drop them significantly. The counties are left with so much to be in charge of, and those services really are essential."

Tracey Quint (House): "I agree the tax issue is a huge one, especially for residents of South Dakota. It does get to a point where it’s hard to make that payment.

"I think something we need to look at is corporations and people that own land here in South Dakota that don’t necessarily have a stake in it. (For example, this isn’t their main place, this is their vacation home, or they own an apartment building but manage from California. Instead of giving tax breaks to those kinds of corporations, maybe that’s where some of the tax relief for actual citizens needs to come from so we’re supporting people that live here and make South Dakota what it is every day."

Keri Weems (House): "Property taxes are really an interesting topic because they’ve been the basis of our tax structure for such a long time. It’s sales tax, excise tax, it is property tax.

"And part of the problem with property tax is people love the idea of reducing that, but they fund counties and schools. So you have to think of all the things that are involved in counties and schools, and what are you willing to give up. What would you have to do to replace the income? Because that is the million-dollar question.
"There is no real good answer to replacing that income. We still need our county jail, we still need our county roads snowplowed and taken care of. We still need to have our cities taken care of, and we need to have schools."

See more from District 11 candidates here:

District 12

Amber Arlint (House): "Property taxes are probably one of the top items that I’m hearing from constituents. You roll that in and pair that all up with affordability (and it's the) highest topic of concern. Are they a problem? Based on feedback I’m hearing from constituents, I’d have to say yes because I’m hearing it so often. ...

"When we talk about property taxes being high we would look at what services do we want to reduce, and very rarely am I hearing that they want to reduce police force (or other county services) … that is the largest thing we are trying to balance. How do we reduce property taxes and at the same time not reduce services? That is probably the largest challenge I have faced in my legislative career."

Stephanie Arne (House): "Property tax to me personally is acceptable if the people talk to their legislators, legislators fight in the budget, appropriations listen, and that money is used for things that help the people that the taxpayers intended. Then I’m happy with where that property tax is.

"Where it becomes an issue for me and most of the people I talk to in District 12 is when they feel like they’re giving money and it’s taking away and harming their family. When gas and groceries are this high and childcare is difficult to find, it’s hard to know that money that’s already come out of their bank account is sitting in reserve and not being used to take care of people ...
"I have had people say they love public schools, but feel like we keep putting money in and they don’t know where it’s going. I agree with them.
"I’m OK with property taxes if I am part of the conversation about where the money goes, and if there is transparency and I can see how it flows into the community. I love the idea of giving taxes and seeing it go to help mothers with daycare, to help teachers, or to improve mental health services."

Kerry Loudenslager (House): "Yes, they are. That's one of the topics I'm running on."

Loudenslager shared some examples of the rate of property tax increases in Lincoln County, specifically, citing the need for some relief.
"I do support recent legislation that lets counties increase certain levies in order to pay the bills. I hear some arguments from renters who say they’re not paying property taxes and question why they should pay additional sales tax to help offset property tax. We’re talking about 4.2 to 4.5%.
"I’ve crunched the numbers – the average person with this increase in property tax is going to be paying an additional somewhere around $200 more per year in sales tax, and that includes homeowners. Like I mentioned with the education budget, I think there are areas in the state budget where maybe we can shift dollars to provide property tax relief."

Kari Shanard-Koenders (Senate): "I think property tax is a problem from what I hear from residents, and I have experienced that myself. I do think it’s a problem.

"I’m not 100% sure that last year’s bill addressed really where we need to be with property taxes. It was good to give residents some sort of relief because some counties have raised property taxes exponentially.
"Residents may need some relief, but not at the expense of people who are renting, working and trying to get by and paying those extra few cents of sales tax. It’s a tough balance."

Joe Zweifel (Senate): Could not be reached for comment.

See more from District 12 candidates here:

District 13

Ali Rae Horsted: "Yeah, I think property taxes are definitely an issue on a lot of people’s minds. I know the Legislature did attempt to provide some relief during the last legislative session. I don’t necessarily agree with how they did it, but I do think it’s still an issue that needs to be addressed and is worthy of conversation.

"In terms of balancing it with necessary services, we can’t just do away with property taxes and call it a day because those are services we depend on and need. We’ve got to pay for them somehow."

John Hughes noted that not only are property taxes too high, but he also described the challenges people have in affording a house, period. He also noted his support for SB 96, which gives counties the option to raise sales tax as a means to provide property tax relief.

"We can have a local control option. Everybody knows local control is so highly valued as it should be. But people just won’t lower their demand to get what they want on everything. Property taxes are still too high, and they’re going to stay too high."

Jack Kolbeck: "I think we’re over the hill on the property tax issue ...

"Since I’ve been in the legislature, we have lowered the mil levy every year on the assessed value of owner‑occupied homes. I think we’re over that now and I think with the new bills that we passed last year we’ll see what happens with the refund back to the owner‑occupied people. ... It’s still an issue, don’t take me wrong, but I think a lot of people they’re getting settled back into a stabilized property tax payment.
"One thing I will say, I do think it does take away some people’s ability to buy a house. I think there could be some work done on that part of it to make housing a little bit more affordable at least on the start. ... Affordable housing and property taxes have to be looked at together."

See more from candidates in District 13:

District 14

Taylor Rae Rehfeldt: Could not be reached for comment before deadline.

Tyler Tordsen expressed frustration at how property tax legislation was "passed in the 11th hour" in Pierre this past session, and that we don't yet know the unintended consequences of that legislation.

"Are property taxes still an issue? I don’t know. I think we’ve got to ride with what happens and see what kind of tweaks still need to be made. I would tread more cautiously than I think what we’ve been doing. I’m nervous. I don’t know what it would look like for us to get to a point where we can just eliminate property taxes."

Erinn Williams: "We don't have anywhere else to get funding that will cover make up as much difference as property taxes. ... If you were fully funding the schools then the schools wouldn't need to create these opt-outs. ...

"The fact that there's not an income level top out or a property tax value cap is ridiculous. If you’re living in a $2 million home, somebody paying $1,800/month in rent shouldn't have to pay for your tax cut."

See more from District 14 candidates:

District 15

June CopperStad (House) said she's noticed her own property taxes go up, and knocking doors she's met people who've come out of retirement to be able to afford their property tax payment.

"From a policy standpoint, the recent policy that is basically going to give a bigger tax break to folks with higher income because we’re basing it on the size of their home and giving them a bit of a refund on property taxes – that obviously means that folks with less are not seeing as much of a benefit.
"I don’t know why we insist on doing things backwards. I think folks who have more resources and are able to give more into the effort to support more people in the community should do so, especially because that has just not been the case here locally in the state but also across the country. So much of our tax burden is on our middle- and low-income neighbors, and that’s just backwards."

Brenda Lawrence (Senate): Could not be reached for comment before publication deadline.

Erik Muckey (Senate): "I think first and foremost, one thing I want constituents and readers to understand is I was at the table negotiating a different property tax relief than what was passed, looking at reducing mil levy while eliminating sales tax on groceries. It still would’ve been the lowest state sales tax rate in the region.

"Property taxes are a problem insofar as we talk about affordability in general. ... Property taxes have become a problem not because our rates are higher, but because we’re dealing with economic shocks and demands on housing stock.
"I think it’s important for folks in the community to understand how I think about property tax impacts and I think of it in two ways. I want to understand how this is becoming an issue for your daily affordability."
Muckey also said recent property tax relief laws – SB 96 and SB 245 – are "bad bills for South Dakota," citing that a $2 million home will get a property tax cut while someone just buying groceries is now paying more in sales tax.
"There should be caps on the folks getting tax relief. Not everybody needs a tax cut."

Joni Tschetter (House): "I think a lot of that comes down to the county commissions. They decide where the money goes, so they have a very hard job determining which entity needs the money and which does not ...

"On another issue, how can we get volunteer organizations—I’m really big on volunteer organizations—to assist in problem areas? If you want to spend money in a problem area and employ people to help in that area, is there another organization that is already working with that entity? There are a lot of volunteers and some great volunteer organizations out there."
"Are property taxes a problem? Yes. It comes up a lot. People say, 'I have owned this house for 20 years, paid it off, then someone down the street sells their home and how is my house worth so much more?' Then I had to talk to them about forms from the county—if you have a hardship, have them help you with your taxes."

Kadyn Wittman (House): "That’s a great question. Are property taxes a problem? It depends on who you talk to.

"We’re seeing different property tax increases in different areas around our state. Some communities are feeling intense pressure. Some communities, like Minnehaha, saw a slight decrease in taxes. Are property taxes a problem? Maybe, but that’s the social contract.
"We have very few taxes in this state. We run an extremely lean state government, and we don’t really have any fat to trim. If you want bridges and schools and roads, sorry, but taxes exist because you exist in society, and you have to kind of pay back into that. Property taxes are really only a problem if you have a problem with paying taxes. That’s almost what it comes down to because that’s almost the only tax we pay in this state."

Andre Zachariahs (House): "The first thing to understand is every dollar that’s assessed in property taxes stays local. They are not dollars that the state takes in. Maybe you can monkey around with funding, but ultimately every dollar from the property tax levy stays local. Keep that in mind first and foremost.

"Within Sioux Falls, you’ve seen the explosion in assessed home values, which has had more of an impact than the mill levy itself. District 15 is a majority rental district. Property tax reform focused solely on owner-occupied housing shifts burden to owner-occupied and makes it more unlikely that having a house is part of the American dream. (Are property taxes a) problem? Yes. In Sioux Falls we’ve seen an explosion again in assessed value and population growth overall. It’s going to come down to the local area."

See more from District 15 candidates here:

District 16

Lisa Bogue: Could not be reached for comment.

Tim Rhead: "That's a very tough question because obviously everyone’s going to say taxes are too high – who wants to give their money to the government? But in South Dakota we are extremely property tax dependent.

"Taking that away seems like an easy fix but it’s not, especially in Lincoln County and Minnehaha County. I don’t know if property tax is such an issue or if it’s assessed valuation that’s such an issue. Your house that you bought for $100,000 now the county says is worth $350,000 and you’ve gotten no return on that whatsoever, but the county wants more money. I hope over time that kind of levels off ...
"In short, we need to continue to look at property taxes and valuation and do everything we can to lower that. But, again, by simply shifting taxes into some other areas like sales tax – I don’t know, robbing Peter to pay Paul. We've all got to pay in the end."

John Shubeck said he supported the property tax relief passed in the 2026 legislative session, and that he's heard from lots of constituents on the issue.

"I think it’s gonna run its course. I was talking to one of the mayors in my district, and he said they’ve had a steady reduction in applications for property tax relief. It’s definitely a problem, and it definitely needed to be addressed.
"You can’t totally cut something because you still have to pay for roads and schools and everything else. I feel like that was a pretty good compromise. I don’t think it’s a forever solution. As supply of housing goes up I think we’ll see leveling off of home values."

See more from District 16 candidates:

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