Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen had a post on Facebook tonight in response to Gubernatorial candidate Toby Doeden, who should be congratulated for participating in his first gubernatorial primary ever. It’s his first time both in voting for a Republican candidate for Governor in a primary, and running at the same time as well.
Like a baboon in a cage, Doeden grabbed something off the floor, and lobbed one of his typically vague missives, this one criticizing the legislature for not solving the property tax problem.
Tony stepped up to the plate, and intimated to wannabe Doeden that there’s no time like the present – so he should step up to the plate with more than talk:
Toby Doeden: Politicians Suck….. very few of them have done anything to address the issues the actually make people’s lives easier. (Yadda, yadda on property taxes.)
Lt. Governor Venhuizen: It would really benefit this discussion if Toby Doeden would put his proposal into a bill… I’m sure one of his supporters in the legislature would be happy to sponsor it for him.
It must be awfully confusing for Toby, since he’s not used to participating in the political process. He apparently doesn’t understand that when you’re a candidate for Governor, and you say that something is a problem should be solved, there is actually an expectation that the candidate is supposed to bring their solution.
Of course, that’s been pretty standard operating procedure for Doeden during the entire campaign. Complain about an issue. Say that someone ought to fix it, or we get a vague line that he’ll fix it. But then the details never seem to come.
I’m not holding my breath that one of Toby Doeden’s free-dumb caucus minions will introduce his plan to fix everything. Because I have no doubt that he has any actual plan to solve our state’s problems. Just Toby’s list of empty promises for the campaign trail.
With Toby Doeden there’s always a lot of complaining about the problems of South Dakota, but never any solutions. Just a man without a plan.
And we get to see why some people say that politicians suck.
I’m fed up with the endless BS tap-dancing from EVERYONE (much less Mr. Doeden) on serious property tax reform in South Dakota.
Back in the mid-to-late ’80s, I was Marketing Director for Property Tax Consultants—the largest property tax abatement firm west of the Mississippi.
We saw firsthand how unchecked valuations CRUSH everyday folks and business owners.
The fix is obvious:
South Dakota needs to adopt a California Prop 13-style cap right now—locking in assessments at purchase price with strict annual limits on increases (like 2%) and indexing to shield existing owners, retirees, and families from these galloping tax hikes.
This isn’t rocket science; it’s decades-long PROVEN protection that FORCES fiscal discipline on spending-addicted governments.
But here’s the ugly truth—most of our elected State Reps and Senators lack the guts, brains, or backbone to make it happen.
While our legislature in Pierre dithers over a pile of crappy half-measures like sales tax shifts and homeowner credits in the current session, they’re dodging the known REAL solution that would actually rein-in budgets.
Shame on every spineless, intellectually dishonest representative and senator who’s pretending they don’t “get it!”
Wake up, South Dakota—demand a Prop 13 cap before these clowns tax us ALL out of our homes.
Thank god we don’t have this policy and never will. If this was in place, the young families would be paying 3x what the wealthy retirees pay in property tax, and the retirees would be in the nicer homes!
How about we DON’T try to be like California.
How about YOU standing BEHIND your friggin’ opinion. I LOATHE “anonymous” morons who hide behind walls and throw chip-shots. Declare yourself of shut-up!
How about you respond to the substance of their post instead of participating in childish name calling? Further, as noted downthread, California has significantly higher taxes elsewhere that allows for Prop 13 to work without causing insolvency. Are you suggesting we raise corporate and income taxes to make up the difference?
That’s actually kind of the point. People on fixed incomes at retirement don’t get taxed out of their homes. Young wage earners with increasing earning potential buy a home knowing what the new taxes will be and are able to budget from the get go. Don’t let the fact California did it blind you to merits of the plan.
California also has a base 7.25 percent sales tax with many cities having double digit sales tax. California also graduated State Income tax topping out at 14 percent. California also has an 8.4 percent corporate income tax. That is why they can get away with Prop 13. We would be in trouble trying it in our current low tax environment.
There’s a lot of other stupid California plans and expenditures that led to their ridiculous tax rates. Don’t blame it all on Prop 13. I agree we would still need some supplement tax but a Prop 13 style bill will actually reduce costs at the local level as we could gut the assessor’s office. It is worth looking into. It’s miles ahead of any suggestion I have seen to this point
A 7.25 percent sales tax could almost wipe out all property taxes in SD without even taking about any type of income tax. Very few Legislators have an appetite for this. They have got to know that having one of the lowest sales taxes in the nation is not helping. It hasn’t spurned additional spending or revenue, it’s actually had the opposite affect.
I’d be ok with that if the retirees aren’t the ones who saddled us with debt, failing infrastructure, and a slough of problems because they never paid their way to begin with.
“Politicians suck” LMAO – THERE he is, Doeden wants to be the Donald Trump of SD, and trying his best to rev up that “populist” wave he needs to gut both parties just like the billionaires hero Trump did nationally.
OF COURSE – Doeden didn’t have prime time TV create a false image of him being the state’s top businessman. Doeden also doesn’t have a top cable news propaganda outlet to protect and expand that false image.
So Doeden isn’t going to win. I am tired of wasting time hearing about him, worrying about him, all of it.
Haha. Bravo, Tony.
Tony is shrewd.
I’m utterly shocked that Tony responded to this. Tony has turned out to be one of the most intelligent and well thought out of people I’ve known. And he has a point.
THIS has been Doeden’s mantra. “Say that someone ought to fix it, or we get a vague line that he’ll fix it. But then the details never seem to come.”
He’s never paid attention to politics before and now, all of a sudden, he’s a problem solver? BS. Not to mention, it seems half of his ‘hometown’, according to the local news hates him should tell everyone something.
Don’t cut that number short. It’s more than half.
Agreed. I like to underestimate. 🙂
Do you think Toby meant his tenant BranDEI when he bemoaned legislation that was nothing more than pet projects, petty culture wars, and virtue signaling nonsense? Or was it some of his other Klingons. Because that description in his list of awful bills pretty much sums up the Free-dumb caucuses entire legislative agenda.
Haha. Coming from the guy who has been in major policy positions as staff, legislator, and to LG. Near as I can tell, they don’t have a serious property tax proposal and at the same time they have told educators they get 0%. They either have no vision or no courage or maybe both. Tony needs to go get a real job – something he has never really had. Yes, Toby is worse and can’t wait for him to be another footnote candidate in South Dakota history.
Listen, Toby no like questions.
Toby posts.
Toby Talks.
Toby scared of old ladies yelling at Toby.
Toby bad dream of being hit by their canes and walkers.
Toby eats.
Toby tired.
Toby sleep.
I’m sure he has concepts of a plan
Are you his daughter
Drain that swamp Toby! I think I have heard that campaign promise else where recently.
It’s like another Mark Robinson campaign but instead of North Carolina it is South Dakota and the candidate’s name is Toby Doeden.