Is Amendment C is a 'middle finger' to South Dakota voters or just 'common sense': Your Letters
Amendment C a 'middle finger' to South Dakotans
Proponents of Amendment C want you to believe it is about tax protection. It is not. South Dakota lawmakers put Amendment C on the June 2022 primary ballot, which has a lower voter turnout, rather than the November 2022 general election ballot, which has a higher voter turnout.
If Amendment C is passed in the June primary election, it would be in effect before the November general election. That is intended to prevent some initiated measures on the November ballot that were presented to South Dakota voters by South Dakota citizens through due process from becoming law.
Amendment C would keep more power in the hands of state lawmakers to have more control over measures and laws that are brought forth by South Dakota citizens.
Because Amendment C will be voted on in the primary election, it is disenfranchising a majority of voters.
Because Amendment C will be voted on in the primary election, South Dakota lawmakers must be thinking they will have a better chance of sneaking it past the citizens.
For the South Dakota lawmakers to bring forth an amendment of such importance and one that would add a section to the state constitution on a primary election ballot is a middle finger to the citizens of South Dakota.
Vote no on Amendment C on June 7, 2022.
Dean Hade, Rapid City
Vote yes on C
I would like to encourage every taxpayer to vote yes on Amendment C!
What it does is requires 60% of the vote instead of only 50.1% to create a new tax, increase taxes or include unfunded spending mandates of $10 million or more. With the increased cost of almost everything, the last thing we need is higher taxes. Higher taxes hurt working families, seniors on fixed incomes and small businesses. It should be harder to increase our taxes than a 50.1% majority.
We currently don’t have a state income tax in South Dakota, and if the Legislature would enact such a thing, it would need 67% approval,. But on the ballot, it would only need 50.1%. This doesn’t make sense.
It’s not a Republican or Democrat issue. It’s a common-sense issue. Don’t let big money come in and present mistruths because they want to bring big government into our state. South Dakotans know best on how to spend their own money. That’s why I’m voting yes on Amendment C in June.
Debbie Schnell, Sturgis
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Amendment C on primary election ballot draws mixed reviews
