On The Issues

I have been an active Republican since I first registered to vote and I have worked hard since then to always get Republicans elected to office.  I currently serve as Chair of the Republican Party in Lawrence County.  As a Republican I support the preservation of our Republic, its ideas, and its institutions.  I believe in:
* The sanctity of human life and protecting the unborn
* The Second Amendment - 92% rating from the NRA
* Smaller government and less government regulation
* Fiscal Responsibility 
*Lower Taxes
*Quality education for our children
*I strongly support Article II of our State Constitution establishing the three separate branches of government that act as checks and balances on each other. 

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT NEED ADDRESSED IN DISTRICT 31?

I believe District 31’s most important issues are creating better paying jobs and affordable housing without increasing taxes or diminishing our quality of life in the process.   With a significant increase in housing in Lawrence County and real estate taxes rising, working families across South Dakota are struggling to find affordable housing.  

Forestry in the Black Hills

The Rocky Mountain Research Station presented a GTR (General Technical Report) to the National Forest Service in February.  That report recommended that the Forest Service drastically reduce the amount of timber it allows sawmills to harvest from the forest.  The report directly impacts Spearfish Forest Products.  Governor Kristi Noem and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon along with area legislators met on November 22, 2021 in Spearfish to discuss timber sales and forestry management in the Black Hills as well as other states with national forests.  It's important we do all we can to keep our forest healthy and our logging industry strong in the Black Hills.  We cannot allow anymore mills to close.  Without the current infrastructure,  the BHNF will be another overly dense national forest with expansive insect mortality and wildfires.   It's a matter of public safety and economic stability for our District 31.

​Responsible Spending of  Tax Payers Money

As your elected Representative and a member of the Joint Committee on Appropriations, my number one priority is to be responsible with taxpayers money and find ways to reduce the cost of government.  Inflation is something most South Dakotans haven't had to think about for a decade or two but inflation has reemerged as a concern as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.  The problem with inflation is that it reduces savings and especially hurts people on fixed incomes and young families.  Driving up inflation results in higher prices for some of the basic needs of family budgets, including food, gasoline and housing. For fiscal year 2021, South Dakota had a surplus of $85.9 million dollars, and that amount was transferred to the state's budget reserves. The state reserves now have a total of $301.8 million, or roughly 16.6% of the fiscal year 2022 general fund budget.   Financially South Dakota has done well and we must continue to spend wisely.  ​

The Budget

 South Dakotans years from now will look back on the 2022 Legislative Session as a time when significant investments were made to better our entire state.  Among the one-time investments approved by legislators were $600 million for water infrastructure, $200 million to develop housing infrastructure, and $20 million for broadband expansion.
Investments in higher education included expanding cyber-security programs, enhancing research capabilities, and improving technical education facilities.  We are building an addition the State Health Lab to meet public health needs and addressing concerns with the existing well at Capitol Lake and developing a master plan for the veterans’ memorials near the lake.  The current well and casing for the flaming fountain needs to be repaired, its corroded and hasn't been able to retain a flame since 2008.  I am disappointed we are going to plug the existing well and the new plans do not include a flaming fountain at the memorial site.  Several veteran organizations are also disappointed. This session we were able to give a six percent raise to state employees, education, and health care providers.  The state’s total General Appropriations budget is contained in HB 1340.  This is the annual bill to appropriate money from the state treasury for “the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, certain officers, boards, and commissions, and support and maintenance of the educational, charitable, and penal institutions of the state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022.”  One-time dollars are for one-time expenses and not ongoing programs.  The total state budget in HB 1340 is just under $5.8 billion.

The Future of Water in South Dakota

​People who live in the Black Hills have not really had to think about having an abundance of water, but prolonged drought and rapid population growth may put the issue on the forefront in coming years.  For that reason, a group of individuals have formed the Western Dakota Regional Water Alliance, a non-profit group, which is proposing a pipeline that would provide water to western South Dakota communities into the future.  I attended the informative meeting at the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City on December 1st, 2021 along with a group of area legislators.  Based on current use and water demand projections, the region's ability to provide water during drought conditions is limited and will worsen as population increases.  I am certain we will hear more about this issue in the future.  

Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling

MCOOL requires labels show the source of the product. The USDA does not mandate that ONLY beef raised and slaughtered in the U.S. carry a “Product of the USA” label. This means beef from outside the U.S. can be labeled “Product of the USA” if it goes through processing at a U.S.-based plant. Consumers want to know where their food comes from; current rules place our family farms and ranches at a disadvantage.  Ranchers have been fighting the "Big Four" packers for years.  They control how the meat moves from the rancher to the consumer.  Cattle prices continue to decrease while retail prices have continued to increase.   Major meatpacking companies buy low and sell high, their profits increase while the rancher faces near bankruptcy.   Congress is finally taking an interest.  We must continue to do what we can to protect what many call the last frontier for vertical integration.  Ranchers just want a fair market. ​

Vaccine Mandates

With the insurgence of the COVID-19 and Delta Variant companies and governments are announcing vaccine mandates requiring people to get inoculated against Covid-19 to keep their jobs, dine in restaurants, or attend indoor performances.  I do not support the vaccine mandate.  It is a personal choice.  I am not anti-vaccine, but I am anti-mandate, no one should be forced into getting this vaccine. ​

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