VIEWPOINT | Strong schools, smart spending: The case for the opt out

Guest column by Sioux Falls School District Superintendent Jamie Nold

Public education is the backbone of strong communities. It is the great equalizer; a promise to every child who shows up at the school door that with effort and determination, they can earn a high-quality education to propel them toward future success.

In South Dakota, the cost to fulfill this promise is an investment shared by home and business owners in the form of property taxes. Thirty years ago, the current funding formula was established to give schools an annual increase of 3 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. For three decades, this formula has left schools grossly underfunded. As a result, “opt outs” are allowed by South Dakota law as a legal and transparent process to raise local funds beyond the cap imposed by the state’s general fund formula.

VIEWPOINT | Enough is enough on raising property taxes