Monthly Reports: Tax Caps and Legislative Bill Tracking Take Center Stage

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD – Codington County officials provided a deep dive into shifting property tax landscapes and a rise in state legislative activity at Tuesday’s meeting.

Director of Equalization: Navigating the 3% Cap.

Director of Equalization Shawna Constant educated the Board on the challenges posed by a new law that limits increases in the taxable value of owner-occupied properties to 3%. To ensure residents have sufficient time to navigate the appeals process, Constant plans to mail 2026 assessment notices a week earlier than the mandated March 1st deadline.

“We want to make sure anyone in the county has enough time to actually appeal if they need to,” Constant told the Board.

Constant also highlighted the staggering volume of legislative proposals currently under review in Pierre.

“I think the email today said 359 bills that deal with basically taxes and assessments,” she noted, adding that her office is working weekly with the Department of Revenue to ensure county compliance with these rapidly evolving regulations.

Auditor’s Report: CPI and Election Tracking 

County Auditor Brenda Hanten confirmed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for upcoming tax cycles has been solidified.

“Just an FYI, the CPI for 2026 taxes payable in 2027 is 2.5%,” Hanten reported. 

Beyond tax calculations, her office is finalizing township packets for the March annual meetings and monitoring state bills related to election procedures.