The legislative session is here! First and foremost, I want to thank you for once again allowing me the opportunity to keep working for you in Pierre. This year I was selected by the House to serve as a majority whip, and I’m excited to be able to use that role to continue to fight for our communities and state.
Tuesday, we hit the ground running with Governor Noem’s State of the State of the State address. One of the big takeaways was an update on our economy- we have seen growth across many industries including record revenues from tourism, increased investments in agriculture, and a rapid increase in housing across the state. She added that the continuance of this growth will depend largely on workforce and brought forth several initiatives: increasing support for childcare providers, continuing to invest in housing, and incentivizing economic development. I look forward to hearing more about these proposals to see how we can best implement policies that will benefit South Dakotans.
On Wednesday, the legislature heard from the Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court to discuss the needs of the judicial branch. Crime continues to be a problem in our state, and he proposed taking steps to working with experts to make sure that our courtrooms are safe, rehabilitating young people, and preventing crime through addressing addiction and mental health. Crime impacts everything around us, so I’ll be doing everything I can to help keep our communities safe.
The legislature has already filed over 100 bills this session. I’ll be working to help get a number of these passed, and here are a couple of the bills I’ll be supporting:
- SB 40: This act would bring improvements to how we elect statewide offices by moving the republican nomination for Attorney General and Secretary of State into a primary like the ones of a legislative race. I believe for these offices all Republicans should have a choice in these nominations, and I’m happy to support it.
- SB35: The Sanford Underground research facility has brought innovative opportunities to our area, and this bill supports resources to expand lab space. I visited this facility recently, they are going to do great things there, and they deserve our support.
- SB41: We need to continue our support of housing in South Dakota so that families can find affordable homes. This bill continues to build on the work we’ve done to establish housing opportunities across our state.
I look forward to the session to come, and value any input you may have on my work in Pierre. if you would like to reach me, feel free to message me on social media or email me at [email protected]. Have a blessed weekend!
As for SB 40 – may I ask why you support encouraging the Republican Party to destroy our grassroots movement of how a “republic” operates? If you support SB-40, you are in effect, latching onto the Democratic plan to destroy the “republic” which is defined by the people acting as one by holding Public Meeting to introduce, comment, and discuss future resolutions, initiatives, proclamations, declarations, candidates in the form of Committees, Commissions, Convention formats within the Counties and Precincts themselves. IF you support this bill, do you see yourself as a “Progressive-Republican” aligning with the values of a direct democracy, of which the power is held by a “Few” people, and where our At-Large Candidates are nominated, or chosen by that small group of people who latch onto the Republican Party Platform, as led by the Executive and Central Committee members?
So, you believe that the PEOPLE should not meet in commissions, committees, conventions to nominate, choose, and vote for their At-Large Representatives as the Governor, Lt. Governor, SOS, Attorney General, State Auditor, and others?
What are you really saying? Are you latching onto this national movement to strip the people of their “right” to choose their At-Large Candidates from within the Counties, let alone the Precincts?
I knew you hated the fact that the people do not always agree on the Republican Platform, But I never envisioned that you would vote to strip the people of their greatest power…
Shame on you, and you wonder why there is so much divide and hate within the party. The establishment is doing everything possible to destroy the Republic. I did not get involved to be part of this destruction, I got involved to be a solution to the divide.
I have morals, values, and self discipline, and character. I cannot SELL my soul to latch onto the Republican “Agenda” to destroy the Republic. If you continue down this road, I am out at the end of the term.
I will be forced to unite the people under another platform as the Independent Statesman Party – giving the people their TRUE VOICE.
The Ball is in your hands, man…
Sincerely,
Mike Zitterich
I do agree on Affordable Housing – Sioux Falls needs to begin truly attacking this from a different angle – to many of their TIFS developments are geared more for larger commercial type development with expensive apartments and retail combinations.
I want to see Sioux Falls utilize TIFS in such manner, where we do more like Rapid City does – offering a $26,000 TIF to individual property holders/land owners to develop their lands to build 5 Town Homes, where 3 of them were priced at $110,000 each, and two of them were priced at $150,000 each.
I want to see Sioux Falls put a plan together, that officers 10 TIF Developments priced at each $35,000 each, which allows landowners, property holders to develop their lands to build the same type of housing where people can buy homes for $150,000 to $200,000 each.
Create a Concept Plan, that budgets within the city $3,500,000 million over a ten year period, whereas you have 10 TIF Projects at 35,000 each, and 5 TIF PRojects at $500,000 each, and 5 TIF PRojects at $1,500,000 each.
Spread out the wealth a bit by diversifying the development…