VIEWPOINT | Choosing facts over fear ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session
Guest Column by Rodger Horr
Last fall, a national news outlet highlighted a South Dakota county’s decision to deny a proposed solar development that would have generated roughly $1 million in annual tax revenue while providing steady lease payments for participating landowners.
The story captured the heated rhetoric that has increasingly surrounded renewable energy projects. What it did not fully capture is the aftermath of these decisions: loss of steady revenue for local schools and governments, missed opportunity for new investment for rural economies, and a denial of property rights for farmers and landowners who sought to diversify their portfolios.
Trump administration to inspect South Dakota voter registration records
South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson has agreed to turn over the state’s voter rolls to the Trump administration as part of its efforts to compare voter registrations with immigration records.
