Supporting Access to Affordable Housing

• Encourage Free Market Solutions: We should emphasize reducing regulatory barriers and allowing the free market to address housing needs. This includes streamlining zoning regulations, reducing permitting costs, and minimizing state and local government intervention in the housing market.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Facilitate partnerships between the government and private developers to incentivize the construction of affordable housing units. This can include offering tax incentives or land subsidies to developers who commit to building affordable housing.
• Focus on Economic Growth: We must prioritize policies that stimulate economic growth and job creation. A strong economy can improve affordability and increase housing options for residents.
• Property Rights Protections: We must safeguard property rights and oppose policies that infringe upon the rights of homeowners, landowners, and landlords. This includes opposing the carbon pipeline, rent control measures, or excessive property taxation that can deter investment in housing.
• Education and Workforce Development: We should invest more in education and workforce development programs to empower individuals to pursue higher-paying jobs and afford housing without relying on government subsidies.

Initiative and Referendum Process in South Dakota

• I view the initiative and referendum process as a mechanism for direct democracy, but I am cautious of its potential pitfalls, such as special interest influence and unintended consequences.
• Support Measures to Enhance Transparency: I advocate for measures that increase transparency in the initiative process, such as requiring clear disclosure of funding sources for ballot initiatives and mandating impartial analysis of proposed measures.
• Strengthen Signature Verification: I support efforts to strengthen signature verification processes to ensure the legitimacy of petitions and prevent fraud.
• Educate Voters: We should promote voter education initiatives to ensure voters are well-informed about ballot measures and their potential impacts. This can include providing neutral information about proposed initiatives and hosting public forums for debate and discussion.

Protecting Voting Rights and Election Integrity

• Legal residents of the state should not have any barriers to registering to vote. SB 139, passed in 2022, is an example of poorly thought-out, unconstitutional legislation.
• County Auditors who, while well-intentioned, decide to interpret voting laws in ways that create barriers for legal residents to vote should be censored or impeached.
• Support Voter ID Laws: Advocate for reasonable voter ID laws that require identification to vote, ensuring the integrity of the electoral process while minimizing the risk of voter fraud.
• Enhance Election Security: Invest in cybersecurity measures to safeguard voter registration databases and voting systems from cyber threats. This includes implementing robust authentication protocols and conducting regular audits of election infrastructure.
• Ensure Access to Polling Places: Ensure that polling places are accessible to all voters, especially those in rural or underserved areas, such as reservations. This can involve providing transportation assistance or establishing mobile polling stations to reach remote communities.
• Oppose Ballot Harvesting: I strongly oppose ballot harvesting practices that compromise the security and integrity of elections by allowing third parties to collect and submit absentee ballots on behalf of voters.
• If paper ballots were mandated, I would support them. Meanwhile, vetted, independent IT professionals must closely monitor electronic voting machines to prevent potential vote manipulation.

Supporting Access to Affordable, Quality Childcare

• Promote Market-Based Solutions: Advocate for policies that empower families to make childcare decisions, such as expanding tax credits or deductions for childcare expenses.
• Reduce Regulatory Burdens: Work to reduce regulatory barriers that drive up the cost of childcare, such as excessive licensing requirements or mandates for specific staffing ratios.
• Encourage Entrepreneurship: Support initiatives that encourage entrepreneurship in the childcare sector, such as providing grants or low-interest loans to businesses that offer childcare services. If a business offered on-site licensed childcare, the benefits to the business and the employee/family would be significant.
• Foster Parental Choice: Champion policies that give parents more flexibility and control over their childcare options, including vouchers or scholarships for low-income families to choose the childcare provider that best meets their needs.
• Encourage Building of Life Skills: Support initiatives that encourage the teaching of essential life skills to teenagers and young adults in underserved populations. Teach basic skill sets to help break the cycle of poverty by providing grants or low-interest loans to businesses that offer essential life skill services.

Challenges Facing South Dakota

• Economic Development: Focus on policies that promote economic growth and job creation, including reducing taxes and regulations on businesses, attracting investment, and fostering entrepreneurship.
• Healthcare Access: Address healthcare access challenges by promoting free-market solutions, expanding telemedicine services, and increasing competition among healthcare providers to lower costs.
• Education Reform: Advocate for school choice initiatives, such as charter schools and education savings accounts, to empower parents and improve student educational outcomes.
• Infrastructure Investment: We should prioritize infrastructure projects that enhance connectivity and support economic development, such as improving roads, bridges, and broadband internet access.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Maintain fiscal discipline and oppose unnecessary government spending and tax increases that burden taxpayers and hinder economic growth.