Property taxes are the kind of issue that affects everyone with an address. Renters feel them through rising rents. Homeowners feel them directly every year. Retirees feel them most acutely, because the bill arrives regardless of income. How does Tim Goodwin plan to reduce taxes for South Dakota residents? The answer is specific, documented, and bolder than most legislators are willing to be.

What Is the Core Problem He Is Trying to Solve?

South Dakota collected approximately $1.49 billion in residential property taxes in 2021, according to Goodwin's published analysis. Unlike income tax, which South Dakota does not levy, property tax is an annual obligation that grows with assessments regardless of what the homeowner earns or spends. A retired couple in Custer County who paid off their mortgage 20 years ago still faces a growing annual bill every time the county reassesses. Goodwin has framed this as a fundamental fairness issue: you should not be taxed out of a home you already own.

What Exactly Is His Proposal?

His plan is structural rather than incremental. He proposes eliminating all residential property taxes statewide and replacing the lost revenue with a consumption-based increase in the state sales tax. The math is publicly available:

• Every 1% of state sales tax generates approximately $300 million in revenue
• Total residential property taxes collected in 2021 were approximately $1.49 billion
• A 5.5% increase in state sales tax would generate roughly $1.65 billion, exceeding the replacement threshold
• South Dakota's current state sales tax rate is 4.5%, bringing the combined rate to approximately 9.5-10%
• South Dakota's 13.5 million annual tourists would contribute to the new revenue pool under a consumption model, distributing the burden beyond just state residents

This is not a general concept. It is a worked model with cited figures, available in his legislative blog at timrgoodwin.com.

Has He Backed Any Other Relief Measures?

Yes. Goodwin has also supported Governor Noem's proposal to eliminate the grocery tax, calling it a necessary inflation-era relief measure for South Dakota families. He outlined four options for deploying surplus state revenue during the post-pandemic economic boom: eliminate the grocery tax, end state-run video lottery, fund Medicaid expansion, or reduce home assessment values by $100,000 per residence. He published his analysis of each option and invited constituent input rather than simply advocating for one position unilaterally.

Follow the conversation at timrgoodwin.com or reach him directly at 605.390.5324.

How to Support Tim Goodwin's Campaign?

Understanding how to support Tim Goodwin's campaign starts with knowing what the campaign actually needs. Beyond voting, the most practical forms of support are:

Financial contributions via PayPal through the donation link on timrgoodwin.com. Joining the email list at timrgoodwin.com/contact to receive legislative updates. Following and sharing content on his Facebook page at facebook.com/GoodwinforSD. Reaching out to neighbors in Pennington, Custer, and Fall River counties about the property tax reform conversation. Sharing his published legislative analysis with community members who are skeptical about whether change is actually possible.

The campaign runs on constituent awareness. The more people in District 30 understand the specificity of his proposals, the stronger the political foundation for getting them passed.

Why Tim Goodwin's Tax Plan Is the Right Fight for South Dakota

Most politicians talk about tax relief in vague terms. Goodwin has put a model, a mechanism, and a revenue calculation on the table. Whether you agree with every element or not, the conversation deserves to happen at this level of specificity. How does Tim Goodwin plan to reduce taxes? By replacing a system that punishes ownership with one that taxes consumption. That is the clearest answer any South Dakota legislator has offered on this issue. Visit timrgoodwin.com/contact and get involved.