Making Government More Transparent

Many Americans – and even many South Dakotans – are losing their trust in government. This is particularly true of younger generations. Stories of government ineptitude and scandal doesn’t help much.

I’m committed to building the most transparent administration South Dakota has ever seen. My administration has utilized free technologies like YouTube, Facebook Live, and other apps to update folks across the state on the legislative process, new policies, and more. I want to be the most accessible governor in our state’s history.

We have created a new website to make the state’s annual budget accessible and easy to understand. This website includes one-pagers on every major investment in the budget this year, including all the federal COVID dollars that are coming into South Dakota.

We’ve revamped state government’s online presence, creating a new citizen portal that serves as a one-stop shop for anything you might need from state government. With FAQs on government services, a better search feature that works across all state government websites, and information on everything from COVID-19 to getting your driver’s license or applying for a grant, everything is available at your fingertips. We’ve also established a virtual chat option and a centralized customer service line to make sure you’re always able to get whatever help you need.

As we grow our economy and strengthen family structures, we must be diligent in keeping government transparency as a cornerstone. Our state government must operate to serve people, not special interests. “Under God, the People Rule” – and state government must work for the people of South Dakota.