![]() ![]() ![]() Jim Stalzer, of Sioux Falls, sought to remedy a few of the concerns laid out by the Department of Revenue during its committee hearing last week, mainly striking a clause that would have allowed different areas in a county or municipality to be taxed at different rates, a potential constitutional question raised in committee.Īccording to its proponents, the reasoning behind creating a new authority - rather than using the joint powers agreement already available to counties - is the ability of this new authority to give certainty to those buying bonds that they will be repaid. Opponents criticize the idea as a thinly veiled raise of South Dakota’s taxes, though the bill’s backers point out the power to raise bonds would still have to be referred to the people.Īn amendment advanced by Sen. “The new levy can be used for capital costs and operating costs, even transportation costs, which is a big burden in many counties.” Helene Duhamel, of Rapid City, who sat on the regional jail summer study. “The level of crime will dictate the needs of each county, the counties then take that authority and borrow against it,” said Sen. Proponents emphasize the flexibility offered to counties that already act as regional hubs for prisoners but have faced difficulty in raising funds for upgrades on their own, with the primary example in Brown County. On the Senate floor, Senate Bill 74, which would allow counties the option to formally team up in their construction and operation of jails, passed by a 27-8 margin. “Every tool we get in the toolbox is just that much more we can use,” Gene Cox, the mayor of Mobridge, which has had issues with their local jail, told the Senate Local Government committee on Monday. The dual policy initiatives - allowing counties to regionalize jail operations while also creating a $50 million funding pool to help with those efforts - are a response to a lack of options for counties faced with aging jails, growing costs and increased incarceration needs. The progress gives the small group of legislators who studied the state’s aging county jail infrastructure this past summer hope that help is coming. Two potential avenues for aiding South Dakota counties in the construction and maintenance of jails moved through different stages of the legislative process on Monday, Feb. ![]()
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