SOUTH DAKOTA(HubCityRadio)- On Wednesday South Dakotans for Fair Taxes, a coalition of citizen groups including Bread for the World SD, South Dakota AFL-CIO, and Dakota Rural Action launched a campaign to refer Senate Bill 245 to the voters on the November ballot. SB 245 would draw an estimated $110 million of revenue from a scheduled sales tax increase from 4.2% to 4.5% in 2027 into a relief fund for homeowner property taxes. The coalition is calling the bill, ostensibly billed as property tax relief in the last days of the 2026 legislative session, a permanent wealth transfer from the state’s working families to the most affluent homeowners. 

One of the key sponsors of the bill was the Speaker of the South Dakota House Jon Hansen, who is running for Governor of the state.  He reacted to what this group is trying to do.

For new laws to be referred to the voters, the group will have to collect more than 17,500 signatures, completed no more than 90 days of the last day of session, which occurred March 30, according to South Dakota codified law.