VIEWPOINT | Extend the America the Beautiful Act to help maintain Mount Rushmore
Guest column by Diana Nielsen
As CEO of the Mount Rushmore Society, I have the privilege of working every day to support one of America’s most recognized landmarks. Mount Rushmore stands as a symbol of our nation’s history, but it is also a working piece of infrastructure that requires ongoing care and investment.
Right now, there is an opportunity before Congress to build on a successful bipartisan effort that has already delivered real results for South Dakota. The America the Beautiful Act would extend the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through 2033 and increase its annual funding. This is a practical solution to a very real problem.
Mount Rushmore itself has approximately $13 million in deferred maintenance needs. That includes critical systems like wastewater infrastructure, buildings, roads and electrical systems that visitors never see but rely on every day. When these systems fall behind, it impacts safety, visitor experience and long-term preservation.
VIEWPOINT | Not GOP? Switch registration temporarily to have vote in governor's runoff
On July 28, the future of South Dakota will effectively be decided. It won’t happen during the general election in November but rather in a low-turnout, mid-summer Republican run-off for governor. Given the current political reality of our state — with even the number of registered independents exceeding registered Democrats by 26 percent to 22 percent(!) — it seems obvious that the candidate who wins the GOP nomination is virtually guaranteed to be our next chief executive.
