I would hate to see what Gold Bond medicated powder would do to you
l3wis 
2010
From my email box • Todd Epp on Dr. Staggers as mayor
“Yeah, like, I support Mike Huether for mayor, even though I can’t vote for him. Becuz, like, I think Sioux Falls is so great, I moved to Harrisburg.”
I sent out a mass email yesterday steering people towards the Argus Leader interview of Kermit, I tried to only include people in Sioux Falls, but apparently I included a couple of people who don’t live in Sioux Falls (Epp lives in Harrisburg). In expected ‘Todd Epp’ style he responded to my email and pulled his normal ‘reply all’ (Like the other people on my email list actually give a rat’s ass about his opinion).
But now that I think about it, I would love to respond to his email, in the best way I know possible, on South DaCola.
Scott:
Thanks for the Kermit Staggers info.
However, I think I can summarize Kermit’s positions on the various issues facing Sioux Falls thusly: No, I don’t like it, no, no, no, no, against, no, against, no, no, no, against, no, no, against, I don’t like it, no, no, against, and no.
It is pretty obvious that Todd did not bother to watch the interview, he would find out that Kermit is a very much a yes man, a guy who says, “Yes we can get it done if we work together to solve problems.” But since we are addressing ‘NO’s, let’s go there. I have often said, either Kermit is psychic or he has the pulse of the citizens. Here’s some facts about Kermit’s ‘NO’ votes;
• Kermit was against the Rec Center, voters agreed.
• Kermit was against the indoor pool, voters agreed.
• Kermit was against a tax increase to build arterial roads, that was supposed to be a 50/50 partnership. It turned out to be a gigantic boondoggle in which taxpayers have put in over 15x more then the developers.
• Kermit was against a 3rd penny sales tax to build an events center (ironically Huether, who Epp supports followed suit) and the legislature agreed.
Amazing how someone who votes NO all the time has a majority of voters agree with him. Heck, he even has his closest competitor agreeing with him.
Kermit’s a great pick if you think it is 1953 in Sioux Falls. I’d rather see any of the other candidates win than Kermit. At least they want to see the community move forward, not backward. Sioux Falls needs a mayor who has ideas and wants to do things to improve the community, not just complain about spending money and being against anything that might make Sioux Falls more competitive and attractive to prospective, new, and longtime residents.
Todd obviously has spent too many days worshipping at the altar of Argus Publisher Beck, and reading the moronic comments on the Argus forum boards.
Kermit has proposed instituting a Hoover commission after he is elected (Bill Peterson suggested it too, but a day after Kermit proposed the idea, another candidate trying to ride the coattails of Dr. Staggers).
Kermit wants the city to move forward, but he knows you don’t have to do this by spending tax dollars. He has suggested;
• Deregulation to help clean up the older neighborhoods faster
• Revising the city ordinances and codes and taking out the unneeded ones
• Tax breaks and community development loans to small businesses to help with expansion
And Sioux Falls has an impact on the region and state that makes it vital that the community does well so the rest of South Dakota can do well too. When Sioux Falls sneezes, the rest of the state gets a cold.
As a Harrisburg resident, however, I have no official say in the matter. But also as a Harrisburg resident living in the shadow of the city, I do know I want Sioux Falls to be a place of job opportunities, good parks and recreational facilities, safe streets and neighborhoods, culture, and most importantly, a positive attitude.
You are right, you have no say in the matter, even though as a Sioux Falls taxpayer I subsidize your city through my taxes and water fees. Something Kermit wants to put an end to, and rightfully so.
We have that now and several of the other candidates, including my friend Mike Huether, will continue to foster such a Sioux Falls and improve on what other business, political, social, and cultural leaders have done in the past to enrich Sioux Falls.
This isn’t about Mike, but I knew you couldn’t resist mentioning him. You can yack away about Mike all you want, but Kermit has a proven record, Mike has ‘talk’.
For about ten years in the 1970s and 80s, I went to college, lived, and worked in Topeka, KS, a comparably sized community. But because they had leaders like Kermit who basically were against everything, didn’t want to spend money, wouldn’t compromise, and only could see the problems with new ideas and not the opportunities, the community suffered. It lost population. It lost business. More importantly, it lost it’s self-esteem and ability to bring people together to find solutions. Topeka has only recently started to rebound because of leaders like Mike Huether (and some of the other candidates), who have had to change Topeka’s Kermit-like No/I’m Against Everything mindset. As much as I enjoyed living in Topeka, a beautiful, historic city, I have enjoyed living in Sioux Falls even more because our community leaders in most every endeavor come up with solutions. They also believe tomorrow will be better than today if we work hard, bring people together, see problems as opportunities.
This paragraph alone proves you know nothing about Kermit or watched the interview. Some things that Kermit wants to pursue in Sioux Falls if he becomes mayor are;
• Making the Pavilion more accessible and affordable to the public
• Securing a more private sponsorship of public art
• More transparency in government – you know, the little pest we call the First Amendment, that you know so much about, Todd 🙂
• And most importantly treating every citizen and their opinions with respect.
I commend you being involved so passionately in the political process. But I find Kermit is a surprising choice for a young, creative person such as you who has made Sioux Falls your home.
That is why I support Kermit, because he is a passionate creative person who also has the intellect to succeed as mayor.
Kermit also has an amazing sense of humor, something I have never mentioned before. He is not a person to get ‘upset’ or ‘paranoid’ when he is attacked politically, in fact he often laughs and brushes it off. I haven’t had that experience with any of the other candidates running for mayor, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them carry a mirror around with them. Be careful not to break it. Kinda wonder if that is what happened at the beginning of the Munson administration?
OPEN THREAD • WRITE YOUR OWN CAPTION
This is from a photo I saw in the Argus Leader in the Sunday edition. The original photo was taken by Elisha Page for the Argus Leader.
GUEST POST • City of Sioux Falls – Discrimination • by Daniel R. Daily
Most of us agree that discrimination is hardly an issue in Sioux Falls. Varied races and religions live in harmony disbursed within city limits. We accept less privileged transplanted foreigners into our culture. Sexual preference may be noticed but there’s acceptance.
City employees are the prejudice exception. They get privileges citizens do not. Their benefits package is far better than citizens (including state or federal workers). They have the best health care (including dental) and retirement package. They get all paid holidays and 6 weeks annual vacation. There’s credit, financial, and legal help. They get educational assistance. It’s very obvious they hardly work 30 hours per week with numerous day breaks and long lunch hours. They’re protected by strong civil service unions. Their fat kids play while our athletic children are benched.
City employees are at the root of neighborhoods. We are stepford citizens. Speak against the city, you’ll be shut off. Right or wrong, what they or the city says is both law and gospel. Smile and give a glassy look so they can’t tell what you’re actually thinking. Clearly, city insiders have the power when 3 of 6 mayoral candidates are on the council. The other 3, strategic so the election doesn’t appear rigged.
We’ve accepted indenture. It happened as a result of Home Rule-Strong Mayor. We’ll live and work in Sioux Falls until there’s more and better jobs in surrounding communities. One thing is not acceptable, city civil procedures. City employees have access to democracy. Citizens do not. City politicians and civil service godfathers give themselves and city employees constitutional rights guaranteed by state and federal law via City Code Section 30 or informal ‘wink-wink exception’.
City vs. Citizen Civil Procedures: No independent hearing examiner (not true before but private attorneys will not take city business for fear of ethics disbarment). The city is accuser and judge. No right to present evidence or call witnesses. You must testify against yourself. No cross exam of city witnesses. No acceptable hearing record (file and/or recording). No appeal. No, before you ask.
It’s a mayor’s tyranny and dictatorial rule. Democracy wasn’t threatened, it was destroyed. Until this gets class status in state court, the best action is an organized resistance to include civil disobedience.
Civil Disobedience Method 1: City Code 2-66 once stated appeal into circuit court but (2006) reads judicial review. No appeals, citizen or city (for payment). Citations, tickets, fines, fees, and assessments post 2006 can be contested and (if paid) refunded. The city deployed unconstitutional illegal procedures.
Civil Disobedience Method 2: A complaint against a city employee is an incident report form from Human Resources. The city attorney intercepts these. Deliver them direct to the civil service commission asking for a 4 member hearing with court reporter. If no employee name, write in ‘Code Enforcer’. With enough reports/hearings, the city becomes overwhelmed. Activity abusing citizen neighbors stalls.
Equal rights must be guaranteed to both citizens and city personnel. We must all be Home Rule enslaved seeking state intervention or we all have the same constitutional rights. City employees are also citizens and not entitled to a preferential double standard. Rip off taxpayers but we must all be free.
Note: Daily has a case against the city on the constitutionality of code enforcement. Closing arguments were heard over 5 months ago, still no verdict from Judge Caldwell. Wonder why?
An open letter to conservatives (H/T – TPM & AG)
This about sums it up;
Dear Conservative Americans,
The years have not been kind to you. I grew up in a profoundly Republican home, so I can remember when you wore a very different face than the one we see now.  You’ve lost me and you’ve lost most of America.  Because I believe having responsible choices is important to democracy, I’d like to give you some advice and an invitation.
First, the invitation: Â Come back to us.
Now the advice.  You’re going to have to come up with a platform that isn’t built on a foundation of cowardice: fear of people with colors, religions, cultures and sex lives that differ from your own; fear of reform in banking, health care, energy; fantasy fears of America being transformed into an Islamic nation, into social/commun/fasc-ism, into a disarmed populace put in internment camps; and more.  But you have work to do even before you take on that task.