I’m Travis W. Martin and I am announcing my candidacy for the District 28B House of Representatives seat.
My wife and I have been residents of Belle Fourche for over twenty years and will see our only daughter graduate from Belle Fourche High School in May.
Our work at Black Hills Title, over the past twenty years, has afforded me with an opportunity to keep a pulse on the real estate market in both Harding and Butte Counties. It has also allowed me the opportunity to be one of the first people to greet the new homeowners in our area and hear their stories, their reasons for choosing our communities and the challenges they have faced related to housing and increasing property taxes.
My wife and I both understand and love the rural nature of our district. I was born to a highway patrolman in a small town in Wyoming, where agriculture was the driving force. My wife’s parents were both school teachers and she was raised just over the border in Bowman, ND. We met while attending college at Black Hills State University and have never left the area. The small towns in Western South Dakota, with their strong sense of community and work ethic, have left their imprint on us and we couldn’t see ourselves living anywhere else.
I’m seeking election because I believe I share many of the concerns of the people in our district: excessive property taxes, fiscal responsibility, education, and property rights issues to name a few. My extensive background in real estate, local level politics and state legislative matters should provide me a firm foundation to serve the people of our district. I have gained experience serving on a multitude of boards and committees including Belle Fourche Economic Development, Industrial and Rail Park Committee, Belle Fourche Housing Committee, Belle Fourche Planning and Zoning, Belle Fourche Strategic Housing Trust, TIF (Tax Increment Finance) Committee, and former Belle Fourche Ward 2 City Councilman. I also am the current Vice President of the South Dakota Land Title Association and chair of the Association’s Legislative Committee.
Ultimately, I believe in leadership through service and that our elected officials are servants, first and foremost. It would be my desire to help the constituents of the district communicate their needs and concerns to the legislature and make sure each one of them is addressed. I also believe in taking a pragmatic approach to dealing with the problems that we face. Looking at the problem, as not just a sum of its parts, but tearing it down and examining from all angles. Making sure we deal with the underlying cause and not just treating a symptom. Finally, I believe that I possess a patience and temperament that will serve us well as I work with other legislators collaboratively and calmly to better not just our district but the State as a whole.
I thank you for your consideration in the upcoming June 4 Primary Election.
Travis W. Martin
