Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House approves $15 million loan from housing fund to Douglas School District to support Ellsworth expansion
Summary
Lawmakers voted to allow the South Dakota Housing Infrastructure Fund to make a $15 million loan to the Douglas School District to build or expand schools serving families tied to Ellsworth Air Force Base. Debate focused on whether housing funds should be used for schools and on transparency and precedent.
The House of Representatives voted to approve an amendment and final passage of Senate Bill 6, allowing a $15,000,000 loan from the South Dakota housing infrastructure fund to the Douglas School District to support construction or expansion of school facilities tied to the expansion of Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Supporters said the loan responds to rapid base-driven population growth and would help the district provide classrooms for military families. Representative Rayfeld, the amendment sponsor, told colleagues the change provides “transparency and very forthright intention about what this money is going to be used for.” He said the loan is a way for the state to “have some stake in the game” as Ellsworth adds missions and personnel.
Opponents questioned process and precedent. Several…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
