Attorney General Finalizes Ballot Explanation for Proposed Property Tax Repeal Amendment
- Steve Jurrens
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – South Dakota - South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has released the final ballot explanation for a proposed initiated Constitutional Amendment that aims to repeal all property taxes in the state and replace them with a new "retail transaction" tax.
The Statewide Ballot Question Committee sponsors the proposed amendment Abolish Property Taxes SD, which was formed by Julie Frye-Mueller, Matt Smith, and Mike Mueller.
The Proposed Tax Structure
If approved by voters, the amendment would repeal the state's existing property tax system and replace it with a new retail transaction tax. The new structure would include:
· A flat tax of $1.50 assessed on each "retail transaction" of $15 or more.
· A 10% tax assessed on each "retail transaction" of less than $15.
The amendment would appear on the 2026 general election ballot, provided the sponsors successfully collect 35,017 valid petition signatures from registered South Dakota voters.
Neutral Explanation Process
Attorney General Jackley’s office emphasized that it takes no position on the merits of the proposal itself. As required by state law, the office provided a fair and neutral explanation intended to help assist voters by clarifying the purpose and effect of the initiated Constitutional Amendment.
The final explanation was issued following a required 10-day public comment period, during which a total of 229 comments were received by the review deadline.
Voters and interested parties can find the complete final initiated ballot measure explanation and the submitted Ballot Explanation Comments on the Attorney General’s website. The Secretary of State's website also serves as a resource for information regarding all ballot measures.
