The Students’ Association voted Monday to oppose Initiated Measure 28, a tax break that will be on the November election ballot that senators say will cause an increase in tuition.
IM-28 is a South Dakota measure on the Nov. 5 election ballot that would remove taxes on anything made for “human consumption,” according to the South Dakota Legislative Research Council. State revenue could be reduced by between $133.6 and $646.2 million, “depending on the interpretation of the phrase, ‘human consumption,’” according to the LRC’s fiscal analysis.
Kelsey Doom, president and CEO of Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce urged senators to oppose IM-28.
“The bill is very vague, very all over the place,” Doom said. “It’s not very clear.”
For college students, the bill passing would mean education funding being cut. Doom said she estimates that South Dakota would see about a $300 million decrease in the states’ sales tax. The lost income will be made up by cutting programs from the university, according to Doom.
“The people it’s intended to help, it’s going to hurt later on when things like education are cut,” Doom said. “They’re not going to cut the meat and potatoes of the university. They’re going to cut the extracurriculars.”
Later in her presentation, Doom said: “In conclusion, the chamber opposes it, and I would urge the Students’ Association to oppose it. I encourage you all to get out and vote on Nov. 5. Vote no.”
SA voted unanimously to officially oppose IM-28 later in the meeting.
“It’s in the students best interest to keep tuition low,” said Claire Kenneke, Government Affairs chair. “Like Kelsey [Doom] talked about tonight, if this is passed at the state level we’ll likely see a very high raise in tuition for the next year, and I think we all like our tuition being as low as it possibly can be.”
According to Doom, one argument cited by proponents of IM-28 is that South Dakota is one of the only states with a grocery tax.
No one at Monday’s SA meeting spoke in favor of IM-28.
According to an article in South Dakota Searchlight, Chairman of Dakotans for Health, Rick Weiland, argued in favor of IM-28, saying that the state “already has $1.4 billion worth of sales and use tax exemptions for various categories of business and services.”
“There are sales tax exemptions for bull semen and rodeo clowns,” Weiland told Searchlight. “We’re talking about families in South Dakota that are struggling.”
What’s described by opponents as a loss of state revenue can also be described as tax relief for low-income people, Weiland added.
Senators voted 25-0 to approve Resolution 24-6-R, and opposed IM-28.
In other action at Monday’s meeting:
Three new clubs’ constitutions were approved at the meeting. The Miss SDSU Club, Music Entrepreneurship Club and Meat Science Club each spoke about their organization. All three constitutions were approved unanimously.
Committee and Staff Reports
Aunt Flo products are now available in the Wellness Center bathroom, SA president Trinity Peterson said.
Alissa Maurer, vice president of UPC said attendance was higher than expected for all of UPC’s Hobo Week events. UPC events this week include their Night at the Museum event this Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Children’s Museum. The first 100 students will get in for free, with a $5 entry fee after that.
Maurer also discussed the student tailgate on Saturday Oct. 26 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the USD football game. The tailgate will include ice cream, food and games for students.
Unfinished Business
Senators voted 26-0 to approve a resolution (Resolution 24-5-R) that advocates for increased campus safety and security. Specifically, cameras in the Big East Lot, increased lighting on Jackrabbit Avenue and reduction of blind spots on Medary Avenue were main points of the resolution.
