A Short Story…🌞
A Taste of Liberty: A Family’s Journey in a Tax-Free Future
It’s a crisp spring morning in Rapid City, South Dakota, on April 20, 2026, and you’re walking hand-in-hand with your spouse, your two kids trailing behind, their laughter echoing through the parking lot of a small corner store. The sun is shining, the air smells of pine, and for the first time in years, your heart feels light—like a weight you didn’t even know you were carrying has finally been lifted. You push open the glass door of the store, the bell jingling above you, and step inside, the familiar scent of fresh hot dogs and popcorn filling the air.
Your kids, Emma and Jack, dart to the snack aisle, their sneakers squeaking on the linoleum floor. “Can we get some chips, Dad?” Emma calls out, her eyes wide with excitement.
Jack, always the negotiator, chimes in, “And a soda? Please?” You smile, nodding, and head to the counter to grab a hot dog for yourself—your favorite treat on family outings like this. Your spouse joins you, picking up a couple of bottled drinks from the cooler, and you both share a quiet moment as the cashier rings up your purchase: a hot dog, two bags of chips, and two sodas. The total comes to $8.47—a few pennies more than it would have been a year ago, thanks to the small GRT added to the sales tax. But as you hand over the cash, a wave of gratitude washes over you.
Your spouse looks at you, her eyes sparkling with emotion, and says, “I’m so glad I voted to get rid of those crushing property taxes. A few pennies on this soda, and we’re so much better off now because of it. Liberty rocks! SealSD.com was a real game-changer.” Her words hit you hard, stirring a flood of memories—the late nights worrying about how you’d pay the $7,000 property tax bill on your modest home in Custer County, the stress of choosing between taxes and groceries when eggs hit $6.23 a dozen, the fear of foreclosure that loomed over your family like a dark cloud. But that’s all in the past now.
You remember the day you heard about Jerry Odom’s campaign, how his Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) plan promised to end the $954 million property tax burden (SD News Watch, 2021-22) that had South Dakotans struggling. You visited SealSD.com, saw the vision—fully funded schools, lower rates for farmers, small businesses under $100K paying zero GRT—and felt a spark of hope. On April 19, 2025, you attended the Liberty Forum at First Assembly of God in Rapid City, joining hundreds of South Dakotans to rally for liberty. You voted, you shared, you fought—and it worked.
The GRT plan passed, funded by South Dakota’s $1.5 billion sales tax revenue (SD Dept of Revenue, 2023) and $109 million surplus (South Dakota Searchlight, 2023), and property taxes were history.
Now, as you bite into your hot dog, the taste of mustard and grilled sausage bringing a smile to your face, you feel a tear prick your eye. You’re not just buying snacks—you’re living in a South Dakota where liberty reigns, where your family can thrive without the taxman’s shadow.
Your spouse squeezes your hand, her voice soft but filled with joy, “We did this together. Liberty really does rock.”
Emma and Jack run back to you, their hands full of chips and soda, their laughter a reminder of what you fought for—a future where your kids can grow up free from the burdens you once faced.
Join us in continuing this fight for liberty! Visit SealSD.com to learn more about our GRT plan and how we’re keeping South Dakota free. Share your story with #OdomForLiberty—we’re stronger together! #SouthDakotaStrong #TaxReformSD #FreedomFirst @highlight Alexandra Odom @followers Holly North. Allie Nakajima