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economics, public safety and accountability. Lawmakers, judges, law enforcement representatives and at least one behavioral health professional comprise the group.
• It seems logical that, as a result of the study, the group will find different ways to deal with low-risk offenders while trying to maintain the state's "tough on crime" reputation and ensure public safety remains high. It's a tricky balancing act because the first time someone who should have been incarcerated reoffends in a high-profile case, the state will be blamed.
• Let's look at other state models and figure out what works best in South Dakota. Draining the state budget on the corrections system isn't the best solution when others in the state need services too, from children to the elderly.
• While it is not simply a budget issue, the cost does matter in this case. South Da

kota probably can incorporate a smarter use of its taxpayer money in paying for sound public safety.
• ___
• Rapid City Journal. July 26, 2012
• Online sales tax a matter of fairness
• Shopping online is something that just about everybody does.
• Paying sales taxes on those online purchases is something that hardly anybody does.
• South Dakota retailers who sell their wares out of brick-and-mortar shops - and who by law must collect sales tax from their customers -- want to level the playing field for online businesses. They are working hard to convince Congress to do exactly that.
• Nothing is more important to the retail community in South Dakota than for Congress to close this loophole and pass e-fairness legislation, according to the South Dakota Retailers Association.
• We agree and we support the retailers association, and all our local businesses, in that effort.
• Internet purchases that go untaxed are costing the state of South Dakota an estimated $39 million a year in uncollected sales tax. That not only hurts state tax coffers, but it gives online retailers an unfair price advantage.
• The Marketplace Equity Act legislation is a good start in addressing the inequity. It would give states the legal authority necessary to require the collection of sales taxes by Internet businesses that don't have a physical presence in the point-of-sale state. The South Dakota Legislature has done all it can to streamline and support online sales tax collection, and now Congress must act. State Sen. Bruce Rampel

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