Living at 80 mph

I am proud to be a South Dakotan.  Our legislature is among the most connected and answerable to the people as any state in the Union.  We work 9 weeks or so each January through March and come home where we must live and work within the new laws we passed, and answer to everyone around me for what happened in Pierre.  I stand by every vote I made and I can explain why I voted the way I did on every bill, and I’d be glad to answer any question you have and print the answer here for every question I receive in my email wiikfor4@gmail.com.

The bill I’m hearing the most about in my day to day activities is SB1; the Transportation Bill.  Fuel Tax went up 6 cents per gallon on April 1st, as did license plates, vehicle excise tax and potentially wheel tax.  I saw this bill as a compromise.  The Senate agreed to the Governor’s plan, but stopped it at 16 cents per gallon.  The House would accept 5 cents per gallon on a phase in basis.  Then the negotiations began, and the bill we are living under now was born in a conference committee.  In that process, an amendment was added to increase the interstate speed limit to 80 mph and create an emergency clause, so that the bill could be enacted as quickly as possible to receive another summer’s tourist season’s worth of fuel tax to get projects jump started.

I believe that the higher fuel taxes will save you, the taxpayers, money down the road.  If we can keep the roads in better condition now, it will cost significantly less than rebuilding them completely years down the road.  We also helped the counties and townships with a little more funding potential, primarily the 1% raise in excise tax on vehicles.  I understand that starting the new taxes and license fees on the first of April could be considered unfair compared to starting on the first of January.  However, if we had left the emergency clause off, the bill would have been signed into law to begin July first where again half the alphabet has to bite the bullet and pay the higher tax.  With a last name that starts in W, there’s little chance to ever see a license plate fee increased by the general population that doesn’t include me taking the extra hit.  I’m used to it.

What surprised me was the reaction to the 80 mph on the interstate.  I never would have imagined the complaints that came from that what I imagined as a minuscule change.  TV stations talking about truck tires that fail at 72–where was that report when the speed limit was raised to 75?  I understand the concerns, but South Dakota is not alone–we are now the 5th state with a top interstate speed limit higher than 75.  Texas is testing an 85 mph road.  The nice thing about a speed limit is that it’s a top end limit.  If you’re not comfortable above 70, drive 68.  If you’re a truck driver who’s company speed governs your trucks at 67, drive 67.  The minimum speed limit did not change and is still 40 mph.  Just drive where you’re comfortable, pay attention, and remember to watch the speed limit signs for the areas near cities.  South Dakota just graduated 10 new state troopers last week also, and they are strictly enforcing the speed limit, so watch your speed, drive safely, and remember to pull over in the other lane for stranded or pulled-over vehicles on the side of the road, and give them lots of space.

Thanks again for the opportunity to serve you in the South Dakota House of Representatives, and I look forward to your questions at wiikfor4@gmail.com