Matt Krogman, Lobbyist
BROOKINGS, S.D. – A good lobbyist should never be in the business of spin, but in the business of trust, a state lobbyist told members of the Brookings Rotary Club at a recent meeting.
Brookings real estate professional and lobbyist Matt Krogman shared an inside look at how lobbying works in South Dakota’s part-time Legislature, why honesty is non-negotiable in his profession, and what issues are likely to dominate the upcoming session.
Matt explained that unlike in Washington, D.C., South Dakota legislators serve in a part-time citizen legislature that meets officially for about three months a year, then return to their full-time jobs. That reality, he said, makes credible, knowledgeable lobbyists crucial.
“When a legislator is expected to cast a vote at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on something that isn’t in their wheelhouse, who do they go find?” he said. “They go find the lobbyist who maybe has some information they can provide – and hopefully both sides of the information.”
He pointed out that lawmakers are inundated with input from the public.
“They’re getting – and this isn’t exaggerating – a thousand emails a day, on both sides of every issue,” Matt said. “I think they end up with certain people they trust, that they know they can go to and are going to get the truth told to them. The last thing a legislator wants is to hear something from a lobbyist, cast a vote, and then find out it’s different than what was reported. You lose trust automatically.”
Matt said his approach to the work was shaped early by his father, who served in the Legislature in the 1980s and later lobbied alongside him.
“The number one thing he has told me from day one is, you never lie,” Matt said. “Your argument might not be good enough. Your client’s argument might not be good enough. But the second you do anything that causes mistrust, your career is toast. They’ll never trust you again.”
Matt represents multiple pro-business clients, including Brookings Economic Development Corporation, the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, the Realtor Association of South Dakota, restaurant and bar owners across the state, and commercial airlines that serve South Dakota.
“One thing I’ve been very careful about – and I think you’ll notice through that list – is that they all have the same core theme: economic development, growth and pro-business,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to represent other clients that I didn’t feel had the same bottom line, and I’ve turned them down. You can run into conflicts if all you do is chase clients.”
Looking ahead, Matt predicted an “especially interesting” session with all 105 legislators up for re-election and significant turnover expected. Internal divisions within the majority party, he noted, may add to the complexity.
“When you hold that big of a majority, infighting occurs,” he said, describing competing fundraising events among Republican factions. “When you start seeing that kind of infighting, things can get a little difficult. It’s not good for anyone, in my opinion.”
He said he expects property taxes and a tight state budget to be the most visible issues in the media.
“The property tax summer study came out with 19 ideas, which is a pretty heavy lift,” Matt said. “The main idea has been to increase sales tax to provide relief for homeowners. As a realtor, I’m all for lower property taxes. But if we raise sales tax, what are we doing to those who are renting and now have to pay more for the food on their table and the diapers they buy? We need to think about everyone, not just homeowners.”
He also anticipates a “bleak” budget address, with revenues falling short.
“If we’re not growing, the only answer is to cut,” Matt said. “Are school districts overspending? Are counties overspending? Some people think so. It’s going to be a very interesting session when you combine tight budgets with big promises on things like property taxes.”