Tax increment financing districts have become a popular approach to supporting the growth of communities in South Dakota. A TIF is a tool that local and county governments can use to pay for improvement projects. As they become more popular, so does the controversy surrounding them.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Land Revitalization Technical Assistance Program is offering the opportunity for local communities to promote the revitalization of brownfield areas. If your community has a site or group of sites which are impacted by contamination or suspected contamination, EPA can provide targeted support for expert consulting to help your community conduct site visioning, reuse planning, market studies or feasibility assessment, evaluation of needed infrastructure upgrades, site disposition strategies, funding leverage strategies, equitable development activities, and other revitalization activities. 

Columbus plans to dedicate $500 million of its $1.2 billion November bond issue to building affordable housing — the third time the city has used bond funding for that purpose. Columbus residents approved bonds in 2019 and 2022 for affordable housing use. A bond doesn't raise taxes. It simply approves the city to take out a loan at a certain rate and then pay it back over time. The city of Columbus puts aside 25 cents of every dollar collected from Columbus' income tax into a dedicated fund that's used to repay such debt.

Oklahoma City is holding a historically big bond election next Tuesday. Though bonds are important to local government operations, even the most vocal fans admit the tool lacks enthusiasm from the community. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt hopes to build excitement for these projects as they're the ones that impact residents' lives the most.

A labor union, solar installation companies, nonprofits and other organizations are suing the Trump administration over its move to claw back $7 billion in funds that would have put more rooftop solar power in disadvantaged communities. The funds in question came from the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act. The Biden administration granted funds to 60 entities including states, nonprofits, tribes and local governments. It said at the time the funds were slated to provide more than 900,000 households with solar power.

Every year, the South Dakota Department of Revenue publishes an annual report showing all active tax increment financing (TIF) districts in the state. In 2024, there were 264 active TIFs in South Dakota, up from 199 in 2020. The following are some examples of projects in the state that were funded with TIFs. These are selected from the 10 counties with the highest number of active TIFs in 2024. Figures for the base valuation and the 2024 valuation show the current increment value that is paying for the project.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted $4.2 million through its Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to bolster cooperative development centers around the country. Only nonprofit organizations were eligible to apply, with individual projects receiving up to $1 million. The funding aims to help rural areas by supporting the creation, expansion, or improvement of cooperatives that boost economic development in underserved communities.

The Procurement Specialist provides in-depth research and analytical support for requisitions in a variety of procurement activities. In consideration of skill level and capability, this position will assist in the managing of micro purchase and small purchase requests and assist in the development and disposition of competitive solicitations for Invest Atlanta Departments. A successful candidate will have the ability to assist in the execution of procurement strategies designed to maximize customer satisfaction, minimize costs and ensure compliance with regulations and policies. In addition, this position will assist with post-award activities such as contract administration and supplier relationship management.

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