OUR VIEW: SD needs to say no to sales tax
Sales-tax exemptions are a touchy subject in South Dakota, especially in these years of trying to find funding for key projects as state revenues have fallen. From sports referees to rodeo bullfighters to certain newspaper advertising, many types of businesses have benefitted from exemptions.
Sales-tax exemptions are a touchy subject in South Dakota, especially in these years of trying to find funding for key projects as state revenues have fallen. From sports referees to rodeo bullfighters to certain newspaper advertising, many types of businesses have benefitted from exemptions.
We agree with some, disagree with others. For instance, how is it that sports referees have escaped sales taxes on the dollars they earn, but semi-professional bands are required to submit a portion of their earnings to the state? Such inequities are maddening and make no sense. If his first veto of the year is any indication, Gov. Dennis Daugaard apparently believes there are enough tax exemptions in the state.
Daugaard on Wednesday vetoed House Bill 1116, which seeks to make livestock bedding exempt from sales tax. The bill would grant sales-tax exemptions to straw, corn stover and soybean stubble, and gained support from all sorts of aggies throughout the state.
Despite the governor’s veto, the House voted 68-2 Thursday for an override, and the Senate followed with a 26-6 override. That means the legislation will become law.
We don’t know much about agricultural bedding, and don’t pretend to. We do know that South Dakota already has a number of sales-tax exemptions that, if they didn’t exist, could help raise money for the state.
We agree with Daugaard. The state needs to say “no” more often when approached about sales-tax exemptions.
Tags: opinion, updates, editorials, state, taxes
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