Office of the Governor
For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 28, 2002
For More Information: Bob Mercer or Mike Mueller, 773-3212

Janklow Signs Statewide Cut in Property Taxes;
Tax cut one of 22 more bills signed into law 

(Pierre) – Gov. Bill Janklow signed a statewide tax cut for South Dakota property owners into law Thursday. The measure, HB 1087, reduces the tax levies charged on property for general education purposes.

The tax cut will show up on the tax bills that property owners receive in 2003. It marks the fifth time in six years that the general education levy will go down on owner-occupied homes and agriculture property.

"We continue to keep our promise. We put taxpayers first in South Dakota," Janklow said.

For owner-occupied homes, the general education levy will drop to $6.02 per $1,000 of taxable property value. That's down from $6.50 currently and $9.20 in 1997.

For agriculture property, the general education levy will go down to $3.74 per $1,000 of taxable property value. That's down from $4.04 currently and $5.75 in 1997.

"That means the general school levy dropped about 35 percent for homes, farms and ranches from 1997. For $100,000 of agriculture property, it means paying about $200 less in taxes. For a $50,000 home, you'll save $159, and for a $100,000 home, it's about $318 less," Janklow said.

HB 1087 also reduces the general school levy on commercial property. It will go down to $12.90 per $1,000 of taxable value, from the current $13.93.

Janklow signed 22 bills into law Thursday and allowed another bill to take effect without his signature.

The bills signed are:

HB 1001  An Act to ratify the Uniform Sales and Use Tax Administration Act and to implement the uniform and simplified features proposed by the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1024  An Act to revise the penalties for overweight vehicle violations.

HB 1052  An Act to revise certain provisions related to the state training school and the state juvenile reformatory.

HB 1059  An Act to revise certain provisions concerning property classifications and assessment appeals.

HB 1087  An Act to revise the property tax levies for the general fund of a school district.

HB 1135  An Act to revise the procedure for reclassification and valuation of certain real property, to conduct a pilot study on valuing certain real property, to appropriate money for a pilot study, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1137  An Act to revise certain provisions regarding the compensation and the meetings of the State Cement Plant Commission.

HB 1160  An Act to expand certain tort liability arising out of causes of action based on seduction, abduction, and alienation of affections.

HB 1197  An Act to appropriate money from the property tax reduction fund to the general fund, to provide for the transfer of certain money to the general fund, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1220  An Act to revise certain provisions with regard to child custody and to declare an emergency.

HB 1273  An Act to revise the requirements for obtaining plates and certificates to park in any space reserved for a person with a disability and to provide a penalty therefor.

HB 1283  An Act to define certain serious injuries to infants as aggravated assault and to provide a penalty therefor.

HB 1294  An Act to revise and supplement certain powers of the South Dakota Building Authority.

SB 14  An Act to revise certain requirements and responsibilities of the administrator of the Human Services Center.

SB 29  An Act to revise certain fees for special inspections and examination of certain weighing and measuring devices and certain standards and testing equipment.

SB 32  An Act to require photo identification for all aeronautics operations, to increase the pilot registration fee, and to declare an emergency.

SB 133  An Act to revise the distribution of revenue from the petroleum release compensation and tank inspection fee, to transfer certain funds, and to declare an emergency.

SB 151  An Act to regulate deferred presentment service transactions.

SB 177  An Act to revise and modify certain provisions relating to the award of child custody and to declare an emergency.

SB 182  An Act to revise the procedures for opting out of the property tax freeze.

SB 183  An Act to prohibit misleading unsolicited commercial e-mails.

SB 187  An Act to appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools.

The bill taking effect without the Governor’s signature:

SB 167  An Act to revise the contractor’s excise tax provisions for a commercial power production facility.

With these actions, the Governor has signed 237 bills into law, allowed 2 to become law without his signature and issued 2 vetoes and 4 style and form vetoes during the 2002 Legislative Session.

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Note: Information on legislative bills is available on the Legislative Research Council website