Thrive tells Yankton City Commission it is current on taxes, defends use of TIFs and housing work

A representative of Yankton Thrive told the Yankton City Commission on Aug. 26, 2025, that the nonprofit is up to date on taxes for most of the properties it owns, has completed infrastructure tied to a Housing Infrastructure Financing (HIF) grant and supports the city’s use of tax increment financing (TIF) and sales tax rebates as economic tools.

Thrive’s representative said the organization owns 104 parcels and that, by state law, some development companies may hold tax-exempt property up to specified values. “We are a 100% up to date on the taxes on all of our properties,” the representative said, adding that 97 of the 104 parcels have all taxes paid in full, six are tax-exempt because they lie outside a tax increment district (TID), and one data center’s taxes are paid by the tenant.

The statement came during a presentation in which the speaker responded to criticisms raised during an earlier City Commission budget meeting on Aug. 18 and a recent local news item. The representative also told commissioners that a $460,000 allocation from the city represents about 24% of Thrive’s operating budget and primarily supports tourism operations and part of economic development efforts.

Why it matters: TIFs, municipal support and nonprofit activity intersect with city revenues, housing availability and local development policy. Commissioners asked how TIFs affect the city’s regular property tax receipts and who pays for street…