Property taxes increasing in the Black Hills region

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Property taxes are on the rise in the Black Hills, sparking discussion leading up to the 2024 election.

Some residents in Hot Springs claim their property taxes increased 65% between 2023 and 2024.

“It went up to almost seven hundred dollars a half which is $1,400 for me. I know the neighbors over here, theirs went up $2,000 roughly from what they were telling me. The other neighbor telling me how much theirs went up. It was in the paper here in Hot Springs that some of the businesses, it went up $500 a month,” said Dennis Shaw, who lives in Hot Springs.

Shaw fears due to the spike in property taxes, he and his wife could lose their home. He’s hoping something can be done to resolve the situation.

“I mean we’ve got to do something about what’s going on. What’s that saying, when the government’s afraid of the people, there’s liberty. When the people are afraid of the government there’s tyranny. And right now, I feel like we’re living in tyranny,” said Shaw.

District 30 State Senate Candidate Amber Hulse believes there’s a major component that may be contributing to the rise in property taxes.

“There’s an artificial inflation in assessment values of homes because people from out of state areas have been moving to the area and paying prices that are unprecedented of this area. Because they’re moving from states that have higher property values so they’re coming with millions of dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says Hulse.

Hulse added the artificial inflation has affected other homes in the area from selling since the pandemic.

One of Hulse’s primary opponents Forrest Foster believes there has been a spike in taxes as well. He told KOTA Territory in a statement: “It has been disproportionately increased. If not just due to inflation. But, we need to address it based on facts. Not based on hear-say,” says Foster.

Another primary opponent, Julie Frye-Mueller, also thinks something should be done. She told KOTA Territory in a statement: “I do NOT agree how the Department of Equalization is doing their assessments and comparisons. I had conversations with two homeowners last night that have hired attorneys and have evidence that was shown to a whole group of us. I care deeply about our seniors who are being taxed out of their homes. Also, we have the younger generation that has higher property taxes worked into their mortgage payments which makes it extremely difficult for them. The budgets are driven by government spending and that is too high to start with and needs to get under control. I am working on a method to totally replace property taxes and remove government control of taking our property,” says Frye-Mueller.

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