KOTA Territory NewsWith deadline looming, taxpayers prepare to protest

With deadline looming, taxpayers prepare to protest

Posted:

By Matt Hunter

As taxpayers rush to get their returns in on time, many are discouraged with the amount of money they're paying the government.

"I think that the taxes are exorbitant," said William T. Elliot of Hot Springs.

"Yes I think we are.  I think we're taxed far more than we should be," said Dana Tompkins of Rapid City.

Many are so outraged they'll gather at TEA Parties [stands for Taxed Enough Already] this week to protest tax policy, even though South Dakotans have the fourth lowest tax burden in the country according to the American Tax Foundation, a fact lost on many taxpayers.

"I didn't know that," said Sonya Canachen of Rapid City.

"No, I didn't know that," Elliot said.

"No, I didn't know that," Tompkins said.  "That is interesting to find out."

Monday was National Tax Freedom Day, the day Americans have earned enough money to cover all their yearly taxes.  This year it comes eight days earlier than last year and in South Dakota, it came two weeks earlier on March 29^th.

"If Tax Freedom Day comes a littler earlier, that means nationwide taxes have dropped a bit," said Rick Kahler, a financial planner in Rapid City.  "If it comes later, taxes have gone up."

So if Americans aren't really being taxed more heavily, why all the outrage?

"I think the reaction, the protests, the anger from clients, from friends, is more over what's coming down the road, rather than what is right now, today," Kahler said.

"I think that's going to be a problem," Tompkins said.  "I think we're going to be taxed more with less representation."

Others view their current and future tax burden with more open arms, knowing it could be worse.

"No, I don't think we're overburdened at all," said Sandra Struve-Seberger of Rapid City.

"There's some taxes I'd like to get rid of," said Larry Martinson of Harrison, Nebraska.  "I'm just like everybody else, I pay a lot of them but it's just the way it is."

According the Northeast Midwest Institute, South Dakotans receive $1.48 back from the Federal and state government for every tax dollar they spend, one of the highest returns in the country. Wyoming's return rate is 95 cents.