Maybe I didn’t catch this right in this meeting, but it kinda sounds like that Sioux Falls is paying the Lewis & Clark pipeline for construction that not only benefits us, but other communities. As I have talked about in the past, it chaps my hide that we ponied up $70 million for something we won’t have until 2012 (supposedly) but it even bothers me more that we are floating money to the smaller communities around us. Why? Sioux Falls has enough problems with their budget and spending, we don’t need to be subsidizing other communities. No wonder people live in Harrisburg, Tea and Canton, Sioux Falls is constantly bailing them out, so why live in ‘expensive’ Sioux Falls, when you can have clean ‘small town’ living that you don’t have to pay for.
Detroit,
We subsidize them because Gary Hanson wanted federal money to pay for Lewis and Clark so he formed a entity where Sioux Falls provides half the money but only gets one vote (out of 24). If he had just built the thing with only city money in 1993-1996 for just us, we’d have the water by now.
We made the deal. We get to live with it.
And what a shitty deal it was.
A large part of this project is a huge water reservoir (USA Today 3/9/10). Sopposedly largest in the US. It’s way outside and south of the city. It’s water you’re paying for so you can watch others drink while you die of thirst.
Speaking strictly of the meeting last night, it’s some report of sorts to the tune of 250,000 that we are footing the bill for, the communities that would benefit were not asked to chip in. Oh yes, Staggers is the only one who questioned that.
James- That was during the Council meeting. I was referencing the informational meeting when Lewis & Clark did an update presentation. Kermit had them doing the Mexican hat dance.
Oops missed that one, thought you were talking about the regular meetings.