Hill City Prevailer

Let’s take action on taxes

Published by admin on Wed, 03/22/2023 - 9:04am
Most of us right now are up in arms about our property taxes. 
I know mine personally went up 29.96 percent. Basically in terms of valuation my house is worth a $100,000 more this year than it was last year.
 I can sell my shoebox (896 square-feet) for $332,000, according to Pennington County. 
That’s more than my friend in Chapel Valley can sell her house for and it’s nearly double the size. If I planned on selling my house I’d make a pretty good profit. But like most of you I plan on living in my house. 

Of princesses and goblins

Published by admin on Thu, 03/16/2023 - 10:03am
It’s no secret that I love to read. When at home, I usually have a book close by. In fact, I’ve already read 16 books this year, and a couple of them were between 700 and 800 pages. 
However, if you looked closely at my bookshelves, you’d probably be surprised at how many books are labeled as middle-grade or young adult. I truly love the whimsy found in books for children. There’s an innocence and inspiration to them that is simply unique. 

Legislative session is over

Published by admin on Thu, 03/16/2023 - 10:02am
The 98th South Dakota Legislative regular session has come to an end.  
We will meet for one more day on March 27 for consideration of the gubernatorial vetoes. 
The House and the Senate came together to overwhelmingly pass the biggest tax cut in the history of South Dakota. It passed the House 70 to 0 and Passed the Senate 31-2. 

When is free speech yelling fire?

Published by admin on Thu, 03/09/2023 - 9:41am
“I don’t agree with what he’s saying, but I defend his right to say it.”
That’s what a man screamed at me at the legislative crackerbarrel the Prevailer hosted.
The “he” being referred to is a man I’ll call a rabble rouser. 
I want to address the  words and actions of both men because they haunt me still one week later.
For those who don’t know, the Hill City Prevailer hosted a session for legislators to explain what they are working on in Pierre and for people to ask questions and voice opinions.

Reading more important than ever

Published by admin on Thu, 03/09/2023 - 9:20am
Last Friday was “Read across America” day and the Hill City School District participated. The elementary celebrated with a pajama day and a carnival to celebrate the anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ birthday.  Readers from around the community visited classrooms and the kids were beyond excited.

Finding Rest in Busyness

Published by admin on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 10:26am
Last week my mom got her first batch of chicks. I could spend hours watching the fuzzy little darlings. In fact, I already have. They provide such a sense of wonder, and yet it is simple at the same time. 
Their needs are very basic. They primarily eat, drink and sleep. I love to feed them out of my hand and have all eight of them try to perch on my fingers at once. I love to watch them take a sip of water, raise their heads up and bob their throats as they swallow. 

If I had a millon dollars

Published by admin on Thu, 02/23/2023 - 9:23am
The Barenaked Ladies have a song I adore entitled, “If I had $1,000,000.” 
The tune is catchy and the lyrics are funny with references to llama’s and tree forts and this line that always paints a particular image in my head:
“If I had a million dollars, well I’d buy you a K-Car, a nice reliant automobile.”
It sounds like Keystone Town Board trustees might want to add a line or two to the song, “If I had a million dollars, I’d build a public restroom or a real fancy Visitor Information Center (VIC).”

Appropriations starting to pick up

Published by admin on Thu, 02/23/2023 - 9:22am
Things are picking up at the Capitol in the appropriations committees.   Just for clarification, there is a Appropriations Committee composed of members from the House of Representatives, an Appropriations Committee composed of members of the Senate, and finally, there is a a Joint Appropriations Committee with members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.   The joint committees are done having budget hearings and now we are working on bills that appropriate money. 

Pass on encouragement

Published by admin on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 9:10am
Do you consider yourself a happy person? What about the people you interact with every day? Would you consider them to be happy? I’m curious because I read in “How Happiness Happens” by Max Lucado that only one in three people consider themselves happy. 
What a sad commentary. That means most of the people we encounter daily are struggling, and the smiling faces we greet may be hiding burdens. 

Session’s busiest two week are upon us

Published by admin on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 9:08am
Now that we are in the second half of the 2023 legislative session, we are facing hard deadlines and the busiest two weeks of session, investing long days and evenings in order to ensure that, as mandated in our constitution, we present a balanced budget by the end of session.