This press release regarding the proposed $6 Million Dollar per year tax increase was issued late last night by SD Citizens for Liberty.
School Board Tax, Opposed by Local Grassroots Groups
RAPID CITY, S.D. (March 29, 2015) – Coming on the heels of the special election earlier this month for the referendum of the Rapid City Civic Center expansion, three organizations have partnered to refer of the Rapid City School Board’s $6 million opt-out decision to a vote on June 2nd.
Local grassroots political group South Dakota Citizens for Liberty have partnered with Citizens for Academic Transparency and South Dakota Campaign for Liberty to refer the issue to the upcoming June 2nd election. 
According to spokesperson for the Citizens for Liberty, Tonchi Weaver, “over 400 signatures have been collected to refer the issue” and that they are seeing “enthusiastic support for the citizens to vote on this issue.”
Local chapter President of the Campaign for Liberty, Rip Ryness was happy to support the South Dakota Citizens for Liberty efforts to refer the issue to a vote, stating that “local control, means allowing the citizens to have a say.” Ryness who is also a homeschooler of his own children, stated that while “South Dakota is in the top 30 states for per capita spending, the reason our teachers are the lowest paid in the country is not the amount, but rather the management of the money.” Ryness went on to state that he spends a fraction of the per pupil cost to educate his own children compared to the Rapid City’s cost per pupil currently.
Citizens for Academic Transparency President Elden Rice has been an outspoken critic of the local school board and has stated that he not only wants to see the issue referred to a vote, but “will work diligently to see its defeat.” Rice alluded to the prior referendum vote, which saw a 32% voter turnout and was defeated by 61% of the voters in that election. Rice, and others, are looking for a similar outcome in the June 2nd election.
For further information on how to participate with the the referendum petition drive, please contact Tonchi Weaver (605) 348-7521.
***Gordon Howie is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
“It’s not about right or left, it’s about Right or Wrong.”
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