2008

What’s so wrong with open government?

I did this toon in response to an Amendment that councilor Staggers proposed on changing the language in a budget appropriation. He wanted it to state that raising property taxes is a ‘tax increase’ (which technically it is). The council was split, which surprised me, and Munson voted against the proposed (transparent) language. Very dissapointing.

Here it is from the minutes;

A motion to amend was made by Council Member Staggers and seconded by Council Member Anderson Jr. to amend the title of the ordinance to comply with City Ordinance 2-22 (d), to read “An Ordinance of the City of Sioux Falls, SD providing appropriations and the means of financing them which includes a property tax increase of 2.9% or $1,101,930 of tax levies for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2009″.

 
Vote to amend:  Roll Call:  Yeses, Litz, Staggers, Anderson, Jr., Beninga, 4.  Noes, Brown, Costello, Jamison, Knudson, 4.  Mayor Munson broke the tie with a no vote.  Motion Failed.

South DaCola music club w/ God’s Favorite Band

Think the Ramones meet the Replacements. I first saw this band at Nordic Hall when I was 19 and saw them at least ten times over the years. Originally started as a side project by one of Twin Tone Records founders the band caught on and became quite popular after realeasing ‘Shack Nasty’. GFB is a power trio that blows away the power trios of today. The Bass player and guitar player alternate instruments and singing and the drummer ironically is a well known guitar tech and guitar collector. My favorite track on the record is ‘Weapons’ a song about selling parents fake guns for Christmas presents for their youngsters.