And you wonder why First Premier’s fee harvesting schemes were deemed illegal by the feds
l3wis [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m12B5ruKiRc&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
2010
Some final thoughts on the Munson administration
While I could go on and on about some of the things Munson did (pulled) during his administration, I will leave that for another day.
One of my biggest disappointments had nothing to do with taxation, overspending, reckless growth and development (which ironically grew our city’s boundaries, population and it’s property tax coffers but has had a stagnant effect on our working class citizens).
His lack of transparency and being able to take criticism really has troubled me the most. It seems Munson believed that after being elected that he was immune to dissent. That is silly on so many levels. That is when the REAL criticism begins, on your inauguration day. I can’t count the number of times he has gaveled me and other citizens at public meetings and threatened arrest for practicing our free speech rights. It’s sad really, that after Munson’s many accomplishments and failures I will only remember him as a politician who could not listen. He even reinforced that stance in the final words of his state of the city address in which he commented that he didn’t like ‘politics’ in city government. Like I have said a million times before, everything you do as a politician is ‘politics’ and we as a citizenry have a right to question you, every step of the way.
Good luck Dave in whatever you do. I hope it is something in the private sector.
Transparency. What’s that?
While all of our mayoral candidates talk about transparency, it seems they want to blame someone else for that lack of transparency;
Taxpayers deserve to see a report about concerns at the Sioux Falls Multi-Cultural Center, several candidates for Sioux Falls mayor said Thursday.
The report so far is off-limits to the public, but Kermit Staggers and other mayoral candidates say the question of whether it should be released is an easy one.
“That’s a no-brainer,” Staggers said after a mayoral forum. “That Multi-Cultural Center is supported by tax dollars. There should be no question. It should be on the Internet.”
While Staggers is correct, I wonder what steps the council and mayor are taking to make this public? The money we give them alone should be enough to get that document out there.
The Multi-Cultural Center receives about $185,000 a year in city money, according to city budget documents. In addition, the county provides it rent-free space in the former Coliseum building on North Main Avenue, which amounts to $200,000 a year in county support.
Twedt also serves on the Multi-Cultural Center’s board and has seen the report. Although she understands the desire to learn the facts of it, Twedt said it would be up to the Multi-Cultural Center’s board to release it – not her.
Really? You and the city council are elected officials that are supposed to be protectors of our tax dollars. You should be DEMANDING that the report be made public.
New Multi-Cultural Center Board Chairwoman Mary Medema, who was named to her position this week after the resignations, said “that report may not be appropriate for the public.”
Maybe $385,000 dollars in taxpayer support is not APPROPRIATE? After 4 board members resign, and the director is put on administrative leave for over 3 weeks, one would think that not everything is Hunky-Dorry at the multi-cultural center . . . I’m just saying. Either make the report public, or we should cut off the public funding IMMEDIATELY!
That would send a clear message about transparency in government.
Stay Classy GW Bush
While in Haiti, Georgie decides to wipe his hands on Slick Willy’s shirt after shaking the hand of a (dirty) Haitian. I love the look on Clinton’s face. He’s thinking, “Thank goodness I was not wearing the blue dress.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DtwkTS9mq8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Bob Litz for County Auditor? Your’e kidding? Right?
A little birdy told me yesterday that Bob filed paperwork to collect petitions to run for Minnehaha county auditor. It will be an open seat in 2010. I believe (?) four Republicans have filed paperwork so far.
First off, I guess Bob would plan to pull a Darren Smith and just bail on his commitment as city councilor if he wins (which he won’t) and secondly, I remarked to someone today, “Does he even know what a county auditor does?”
These guys crack me up.