Economic development tug-o-war gripping South Dakota political climate
Recent history fueling scrutiny around public-private partnerships as skeptics gain sway
PIERRE — South Dakota is at a cultural and political crossroads.
From packed town halls in the Black Hills to county commission chambers on the prairie and the marbled hallways of the Capitol, a once-settled consensus about how the state should grow is being tested. Property tax pressures dominate kitchen-table conversations. Social media amplifies suspicion and fuels activism. And a new wave of lawmakers — many elected in the aftermath of bruising fights over carbon pipelines — are challenging a decades-old model of government-backed economic development.
“We’ve done generational work,” Rep. Erik Muckey said this week, referring to economic development reforms underway at the state Capitol.
