I had a meeting yesterday at SDSU regarding the research they have been conducting pertaining to the implementation of legislation regarding property taxes on Agricultural land. It was a great update and preview of some of the data they are gathering for the task force to look at during their next meeting. As a member of that task force, I appreciated their willingness to keep me updated and the opportunity for input.

This has been a busy summer. I am a member of the Executive Board of the Legislature and also serve on the Property Tax task force and the Transportation study that is going on as well. It’s been quite a few trips to Pierre, but we are making progress on researching solutions in these highly debated topics.

I also attended a McRel Policy Forum in Denver a few weeks ago that focused on assessment in K-12 education. I was invited to attend by our Department of Education and appreciated the opportunity to discuss South Dakota’s issues with our department staff, local assessment directors and experts in the field. I will post some discussion on this trip later with some updates on possible legislation that may be pursued regarding our findings.

Here is a brief rundown of my schedule in the next couple of weeks….

August 29: Henry Homecoming and Parade
August 28-31: State Fair!
September 8: Agricultural Assessment Property Tax Task Force meeting, Pierre
September 25: Highway Needs Study, Pierre
September 27: Leadership presentation to the SDFRW convention

These are a few of the upcoming things on my schedule….I will keep you updated as more campaign events are confirmed. My opponent is working, which is a unique development in District 6, so there will be plenty of opportunities for you to come out to events and show your support!