Rhoden's Sioux Falls, Rapid City airport funding idea survives legislative flak
House Speaker Jon Hansen tried to shoot down measure with super majority requirement
PIERRE – A loan package for the state’s two largest airports has cleared the state Legislature, but it came perilously close to crashing.
Opponents of the $30 million low-interest loan, including House Speaker Jon Hansen, attempted to use a parliamentary procedure to force Senate Bill 76 to require a two-thirds majority to pass. Prior to its House vote, Hansen declared SB 76 an appropriation, which requires the super majority.
At stake were two loans for up to $15 million each for both the Sioux Falls and Rapid City regional airports. Last fall, Gov. Larry Rhoden proposed transferring the money from a workforce housing fund, where it has sat unused. Rhoden originally proposed the loans at no interest, but to get it through the Senate, Sen. Casey Crabtree amended the bill to a 2 percent rate of interest.
First big test of Rhoden property tax plan on its way to becoming law
PIERRE – County governments will have an option to implement a new half-cent sales tax following passage of legislation in the South Dakota House of Representatives Thursday.
