• Argus Leader, Sioux Falls. Oct. 31, 2012
• Penny tax hike isn't a solution
• South Dakotans will soon decide whether they want to pay an extra penny in state sales taxes for schools and Medicaid reimbursements.
• There are several reasons why that plan, known as Initiated Measure 15 on the ballot, is a flawed approach to helping pay for two important and large pieces of our state budget.
• While schools and Medicaid both deserve adequate money to take care of children and our state's most needy citizens, raising money through additional sales taxes takes other money out of the pockets of those very people, who already might have a tight budget when it comes to buying groceries and other necessities.
• The proposed change in law would raise the state sales tax from 4 cents to 5 cents on the dollar for most purchases, including food and clothing. Projections show the additional tax would be worth about $182 million a year, which would be split between schools and health care for low-income people. It would be in addition to money budgeted by lawmakers.
• The proposed change comes on the heels of cuts to both education and health care in 2011. Gov. Dennis Daugaard at that time asked lawmakers to cut the budget by 10 percent after the national recession. In the end, lawmakers were able to make up for some of the cuts and restore some money to schools and Medicaid.
• While nobody denies that we have an education funding problem and a Medicaid funding problem in South Dakota, this is not the solution.
• We don't like this added tax because it is regressive, meaning it is a bigger burden for poorer families. We also don't like that lawmakers wouldn't be able to cut

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