This is why South Dakota Law Enforcement…

As the 2026 South Dakota Legislative Session kicks off, the air in Pierre is thick with talk of “transparency” and “taxpayer protection.” We’ve seen the reports from the 2025 Property Tax Task Force, and we’ve heard the promises of new oversight. But for those of us living in the “Closed Loop” of small special districts,…

By Anonymous- for reasons you will soon see. As the 2026 Legislative Session begins in Pierre, the air is thick with talk of property tax relief. Politicians are lining up to promise homeowners a break from the relentless climb of valuations and levies. But there is a darker side to the South Dakota tax story…

When a private citizen makes a mistake on their taxes, the government doesn’t say, “Oh well, you thought you were doing it right.” They send a bill, they add interest, and they threaten a lien. But when a County Auditor certifies millions of dollars in unauthorized “Special Maintenance Fees” for a special district, the defense…

Property taxes have become a four-letter word in South Dakota. Across the state, residents are staring down assessment notices that seem to climb every year, leading to a palpable frustration that is now the central issue of the 2026 election cycle. The question is no longer if we need property tax relief, but how we…

In a healthy county, when two people who have actually seen the “sausage being made” come forward with documented evidence of illegal bylaws and unauthorized taxes, we call them whistleblowers. In the “Closed Loop” of our county, we call them “annoyed troublemakers.” Our local State’s Attorney has apparently pioneered a bold new legal theory: If…

In South Dakota, we are told we live in a state of “personal responsibility” and “limited government.” But when a citizen tries to hold the most powerful arm of that government—Law Enforcement—accountable, they quickly discover that the doors are locked and the windows are barred. Recently, I reached out to our elected leadership regarding a…