When living in Pierre, I helped a couple people fight a city reorganization, and we just narrowly lost by 14 votes (we rant it with a couple hundred bucks and a copier). Part of the genesis of it was that the city of Pierre wouldn’t stop messing with the people living in it’s extraterritorial jurisdiction – outside the city limits, but subject to some of it’s strictures.
Cities in many places have been aggressively working and trying to expand extraterritorial jurisdiction in recent years, as they prepares for expansion. They have a vested interest in doing so. But what about those “gap children” – those living in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, but not having a vote in city affairs? State Senator Jeff Monroe is going to propose a measure to give them a voice that they’ve been lacking:
Many Fort Pierre residents live within the one mile zone.
Currently, the city has jurisdiction over the one mile zone around Fort Pierre, however those residents do not get to vote in city elections.
Local District 24 State Senator Jeff Moroe is bring forth a bill this year that would give those residents an opportunity to vote in city elections.
Some South Dakota cities have jurisdictions of up to three miles outside of city limits. Whatever the amound of miles, this bill would allow those residents to vote in city elections says Monroe.
I asume it would subject them to the city property tax as well, if they want to play they have to pay.
They already have an option to vote, called annexation.
1. Once cannot vote to become annexed without the city agreeing to it.
2. Gee, why would cities prefer to NOT annex areas, yet enjoy the benefits of regulating those areas without fear of pesky citizens voting their regulations up or down?? ? Why???
I can’t imagine a reason a City would not agree to an annexation. The only reason a City ‘enjoys’ regulating areas outside its boundaries is to keep it suitable for annexation. Which is the reason why the law was created. By ‘regulating’ lets be clear, just very simple planning and zoning, other city ordinances do not apply until annexation. And even then Counties routinely ignore the extra-territorial planning and zoning requests of Cities. The real benefits don’t occur until annexation brings in the property tax to the City.