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Yankton County weighs $46 million bridge levy, considers sales-tax option under Senate Bill 96
Summary
Task force members discussed a proposed $46,000,000 road-and-bridge levy and debated setting aside a portion of levy proceeds to build reserves; they also considered whether to support Senate Bill 96, a state sales-tax plan, and reviewed ballot timing and deadlines.
Yankton County task force members discussed a proposed road-and-bridge levy, the likely timing for putting it before voters, and broader tax-policy options tied to Senate Bill 96.
Opening remarks noted the proposed bridge levy and uncertainty over whether the item would be deferred or referred; the chair said the levy "does go into place at $46,000,000." Members discussed using a portion of any levy proceeds to build a reserve for future bridge projects rather than tapping highway operations when work arises.
One committee member argued that the county carries a high density of rural road mileage, which strengthens the case for a dedicated road-and-bridge fund. A suggestion was raised to redirect roughly a quarter to 30% of levy proceeds into a dedicated reserve so that the highway department would not need annual transfers from the general fund.
Tax-policy discussion included Senate Bill 96, a state-level sales-tax proposal presented to the commission by the Department of Revenue. A committee member described the bill as replacing a portion of the owner-occupied property-tax burden with sales tax and said many residents would likely see a net reduction in property tax under the department’s projections. Members acknowledged political opposition is likely and that counties must decide whether to opt in.
Timing questions surfaced: a committee member asked what date the commission must act to place a measure on the ballot; another noted an August 15 commission deadline and discussed the Department of Revenue’s roughly "90 day" notice requirement for making a tax effective, which shapes when such measures can appear on a November ballot.
Impact and next steps: one member noted the county’s road-and-bridge levy, if enacted, would create a recurring revenue stream that could also yield about $213,000 a year for the City of Yankton under current allocation projections. The task force asked staff to prepare projections showing how the levy would change local property-tax rankings and to provide additional data about Senate Bill 96 in advance of the next meeting.
