Opinion: A Blueprint for Tax Freedom

April 16, 2025
Seal SD Liberty

Opinion: A Blueprint for Tax Freedom That Progressive Socialists Might Hate

South Dakota’s GRT Plan: Liberty in Action

South Dakotans, we’ve built a game-changer with the SEAL SD Liberty GRT plan. By 2027, we’re wiping out $1.6 billion in property taxes, replacing them with a lean 2.5% Gross Receipts Tax that raises $1.8 billion—$200 million more than we need for schools, roads, and services (April 15, 2025, 20:21). That means $3,000-$5,000 back in your pocket each year in Rapid City, and ~$200M-$225M for our farmers state-wide (April 15, 2025, 20:31). It’s tax freedom that would make the Founding Fathers proud—liberty from government overreach, just as they intended (March 26, 2025, 17:57).

But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just a win for South Dakota. It’s a blueprint for any state where citizens crave real tax freedom. And oh boy, do I know who’s going to hate it—progressive socialists in deep blue states like California, New York, and New Jersey. Let’s break it down with a bit of snark, shall we?

Why Progressive Socialists Might Hate This Plan

Progressive socialists love their big government—it’s their bread and butter, after all. But our GRT plan? It’s a liberty-minded slap in the face to their tax-and-spend playbook:

  • Oversight? Oh No!: Our plan leans heavily on DOGE-SD—South Dakota’s Department of Government Efficiency—to keep things honest. Zero-based budgeting, public audits by March 31, and a seven-member citizen oversight board mean no shady spending (April 14, 2025, 14:00). In Custer, DOGE-SD saves ~$1.15M-$2.2M, ensuring every dollar counts (Q1, April 15, 2025, 20:31). Progressives might clutch their pearls—someone watching their pet projects? The horror!
  • Local Control? Yikes!: We keep control local—counties like Rapid City and Custer manage their own GRT funds, with ~$116.1M and ~$3.3M respectively (April 15, 2025, 20:31). State aid (~$66.5M-$142.5M) supports rural areas without strings attached (Q6, April 15, 2025, 20:31). Progressives in deep blue states might cringe—local control means less power for their centralized schemes. Sorry, comrades, no top-down control here!
  • Tax Freedom? Not on Their Watch!: We’re slashing $1.6 billion in property taxes, giving South Dakotans real economic freedom—$3,000-$5,000 per household, $17,640 by 2034 on a $200,000 home (April 15, 2025, 21:26). Compare that to New Mexico’s GRT, which adds ~$500-$1,000/year to household costs while keeping property taxes (April 16, 2025, 06:31). Progressives might scoff—how dare we let you keep your hard-earned money instead of funding their latest “woke disaster” (April 14, 2025, 14:00)?

A Blueprint for High-Tax States—If They Dare

Deep blue states like California, New York, and New Jersey are drowning their citizens in taxes. California’s property taxes alone hit ~$80 billion annually (2023 CA Taxpayers Association), with effective rates at 0.76%—that’s ~$3,040/year on a $400,000 home. New York’s 1.72% rate means ~$6,880/year, and New Jersey’s 2.49% clocks in at ~$9,960 (2023 Tax Foundation). Ouch! Their citizens are screaming for relief, but their progressive leaders love those tax dollars too much to let go.

Here’s the thing: they could use our GRT plan as a blueprint—if they’re brave enough to put liberty over control. Imagine:

  • California: Swap out that $80 billion in property taxes for a GRT. Even at our 2.5% rate, their $2.2 trillion GDP could raise enough to fund schools and services, saving households ~$3,000/year. But good luck getting Sacramento to loosen its grip!
  • New York: A GRT could erase their $6,880/year property tax burden on a $400,000 home, freeing up cash for families. Albany might faint at the thought of DOGE-SD audits—too much transparency for their taste!
  • New Jersey: With the nation’s highest property taxes, a GRT could save residents ~$9,960/year. Trenton’s progressive socialists might balk at citizen oversight, but Jersey folks could force their hands with our plan.

Force Liberty on Elected Officials—Whether They Like It or Not

Here’s the snarky truth: progressive socialists in these states would rather tax you into oblivion than admit they’re wrong. They’ll fight oversight tooth and nail because it exposes their wasteful ways—sorry, folks, no more funding “woke disasters” on our dime (April 14, 2025, 14:00)! But if citizens in California, New York, or New Jersey want relief, they can take our blueprint and run with it. Use it to rally, demand transparency, and force elected officials to be liberty-minded—whether they like it or not. Start local, push for citizen oversight, and make tax freedom a reality, just like we’re doing in South Dakota. Join us at the Liberty Forum on April 19, 2025, to see how it’s done. Just saying!