State Reps. Scott Odenbach and (Hillary Clinton donor) Liz May seem to have something against economic development as Scott reprints a Liz May column alluding to how he thinks land needs to be undeveloped..
TELLING IT LIKE IT IS
The following written by Rep. Liz May: This Isn’t Growth—It’s a Slow Displacement
Every time I drive into Rapid City or head out to Spearfish, Box Elder, or Summerset, I feel like I’ve taken a wrong turn.
The hills are still there—but the open sky, the sense of peace, the small‑town rhythm—it’s being swallowed by endless housing tracts, towering apartments, and polished master‑planned developments. Downtown feels more engineered than earned. Communities like Spearfish—once anchored in tight‑knit culture—are now overrun by developers chasing future profits.
and..
This isn’t sustainable. If it continues, Rapid City won’t feel like Rapid City. Spearfish won’t feel like Spearfish. And the Black Hills will no longer feel like the Black Hills—it’ll feel like Denver feels to Colorado.
It’s time to face the truth: this isn’t growth—it’s displacement. And it’s time for South Dakota to restore accountability, respect property rights, and reclaim community before it disappears under someone else’s blueprint.
Is this a new caucus in the House forming – Republicans against Development? Why do I get the impression that this sounds like they’re saying land should not be developed as if they think it should be treated as if it should belong to someone else?
Kind of odd coming from people who claim to follow the Republican platform.
These idiots are completely against economic development or people moving into the black hills region.
Odenbach moved into the region and started a life now he doesn’t want anyone else to come there. That’s hypocrisy at its finest and fascism at its heart.
These are not republicans!!
I think most people oppose liberty land because it’s more tax breaks to wealthy developers when we have a hard time feeding schoolchildren and helping those without. And, somehow many of us get the feeling that libertyland will be dedicated to white conservative “patriots” , rather than a balanced view of American history.
The TIF stinks a little like Socialism to me.
Simply put, TIFs should exist in South Dakota. They are welfare programs for very wealthy individuals, groups, and corporations who can (and should) pay for their own land and building development. Stealing from the middle class and giving to the wealthy via their corrupt, bought and paid for political whores.
The MO of the rich is to privatize their gains while making the public pay for their screw ups. The Bailouts, and Trumps PPP and now BBB should make that plain.
Imagine how the Lakota felt when Custer pulled into the Black Hills in 1874!
What happened to standing up for the private property owner and their rights to do what they want with their land?
These two, and their cronies, are a bunch of hypocrites.
It’s all odenbach and his cronies. With the alliance that’s formed with Hansen/Lems, and many other crazies, 2026 will see their agenda! Will it be income tax, or incredibly higher sales tax? “It’s the spending” Odenbach says. Time will tell!
Now I’m confused. Wasn’t one of Odenbachs big accomplishments this last session “private property rights” when he ensured Summit wouldnt be able to use eminent domain (even though summit didn’t have the legal right to) and effectively shut down billions of dollars from coming into SD and millions of dollars into his home county of McPherson where a large number of property owners already had easements signed? But now he wants to tell private property owners what they should or shouldn’t do with their private property so he can ensure HIS vision of the future remains viable. You can’t swing from both sides of the plate and expect to get a home run.
It would also be very interesting to know how much of Scott’s law practice is real estate. Is he making money on the sale of property that is skyrocketing land/home prices and causing property taxes to go up?