Daugaard Wants Tax Increase to Boost Low Teacher Pay

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Dennis Daugaard wants the Legislature to approve a half-cent increase in the sales tax to improve teacher pay in South Dakota, which is the lowest in the nation.

In his State of the State speech, Daugaard says he wants to raise the tax to bring South Dakota's teacher pay up to a level competitive with neighboring states.

The sales tax rise would be the first permanent increase in the 4-cents-per-dollar rate in nearly half a century.

Daugaard is expected to encounter resistance from his fellow Republicans in the Legislature. He wants $40 million per year of the additional funds to go to property tax relief. It was not immediately clear how much would go to teacher pay or other programs.

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