This morning I encouraged Mr. Hildebrand (Build it Downtown) to challenge mayor Huether on the issue, he sent him this email this afternoon;
Mayor Huether,
You are currently using $500,000 of public funds to study the location, feasibility and design of a future events center for Sioux Falls. Because of your use of public funds, the transparency and accessibility of information used to conduct these studies should be afforded to the public in a timely fashion.
SDCL 1-27 provides entitlement to information within government bodies, including the City of Sioux Falls. Specifically, under 1-27-1.3 the law is to be “liberally†construed “in order that the citizens of this state shall have the full right to know of and have full access of information on public finances of the government and the public bodies and entities created to serve them.â€
Under SDCL 1-27-1.5 there are exceptions to the right to inspection and copying. Which exception are you relying on to prevent us from seeing the information we have requested?
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Steve Hildebrand, Co-Founder
Build it Downtown
Steve is not the only one who has been fishing for facts. Another resident has hinted to me that they will probably file a complaint with the open meetings commission. Seems Mike is about as transparent as a piece of coal.
For 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, the city’s Attorney’s office bills us $686.76 an hour. Guess they’ll earn their keep for at least a couple hours today.
Sounds like a bargain. Ha!
And yet when the city sends out a mailing explaining why the water and sewer rates are going up and providing supporting information about surrounding cities and their rates as well as explaining the projects currently underway to expand our system… you are all over them.
So sometimes the city needs to keep their mouth shut, and other times the city needs to let you know every detail. That makes perfect sense. Maybe you could just have Mayor Mike call you on your cell phone to clear all of the communications from City Hall to ensure you are ok with what they release.
I didn’t have a problem with them sending out that information, like I said, they could have just sent out a simple rate card like they did last year, they didn’t have to blow a bunch of smoke up our asses.
I’d be willing to be a mailing eliminates a ton of phone calls and questions that come into the city phone lines and probably quite a few concerned callers who wonder why their bill is higher this month or those who just call to complain for the heck of it.
No mailer will prevent every call or ensure everyone is informed, but if you want something communicated to the customer, direct mail is probably the safest bet. People may not watch the city channel or visit their website, but everyone reads the mail.
They were being proactive yet they catch heat for it. It wasn’t like they were being dishonest about the projects that are underway.
Costner: “No mailer will prevent every call or ensure everyone is informed, but if you want something communicated to the customer, direct mail is probably the safest bet. People may not watch the city channel or visit their website, but everyone reads the mail.”
Everyone reads the mail? Cough, cough, bullsh*t, cough.
All inserts in my bills are immediately tossed.
And thus you remain an uninformed citizen.
Does any one really think that this will be built at all with these economic times.Hey Mike didnt labor help you get elected when will they be represented in the city.
Costner – People don’t give a rat’s ass about the mailer, or the BS contained within. People are pissed that there water bill continues to be increased but no change in service. Our rates should be low because of the amount of volume. Think about it, lets say everyone in the city used the same amount of water/sewer I use, about $19 a month X residents $3 million a month or $36 million in a year. Do you think it costs the city $36 million a year to run the water and sewer system? Like I said before, maintenance and daily operation? Bullshit.
Poly43, $687/hour is but a small part of litigation expenditure. Mayor Ghadafi is exhausting more for private lawyers fighting against the constitution. Let’s see how he trys to hides it. I’m impressed with the new city attorney, he’s worth the expense. It will be sad when he goes down with Huether.
I’m uninformed because I don’t read the propaganda included in my mail? Good one, rufusx.
Hate to try to veer back on topic, but does it bother anyone that the LW above might just have a point?
Whether Hildy is right or not, we all know nothing will come of this.
Lw?
I assumed it meant letter writer.
Something can come of it if a complaint is filed, on top of that, bring it up to every news source as possible, and finally, be vigilante, don’t back down. I am amazed at so many people who let Mike push them around. Silly. I have often thought about starting a non-profit called, “Challenging Mike” and people can pay me to challenge his bullshit.
Our rates should be low because of the amount of volume. Think about it, lets say everyone in the city used the same amount of water/sewer I use, about $19 a month X residents $3 million a month or $36 million in a year.
Your point was worth looking into. As I suspected, water rates are cheaper in Sioux City. But….but….but…
Harrisburg, Tea, LMFAO.
“People are pissed that there water bill continues to be increased but no change in service.”
Well then that boils down to ignorance. Just because they don’t see a difference coming out of their tap, there has been many changes in service. The city has built new water towers, they have had to expand the treatment plant due to demand, they have had to expand sewage treatment facility due to demand, they have had to build a pipeline all the way from the river and will have to pay a huge amount of money to keep the water flowing through that pipe upon completion, and they have had to pay more for electricity, more for the chemicals used to treat the water, more for energy, as well as salaries for those who run the system.
How the hell can someone say the service hasn’t changed? Especially not changed more than 8.5% in 13 years. That is ignorant and idiotic.
“Do you think it costs the city $36 million a year to run the water and sewer system?”
Are you serious? How many millions do you think it costs to build a water treatment plant? How many to build a new water tower? How many millions does it take to run water lines and sewer lines to every structure in town and to treat billions upon billions of gallons of both drinking water as well as discharge before it hits the river?
How about the continual maintenance, the billing system, the dozens of employees required to manage the system so you can actually drink your water without worrying about it being contaminated? What about the electricity (and incredible amount) used to pump all of this water across the entire city? What about the lift stations, and water mains and meters in every single home and business throughout the entire city? What about the new pipeline from the river?
I really don’t think you have any idea what it costs to treat drinking water and distribute it across a city. To think the average homeowner can spend $25 a month and get all the drinking water and the sewage removal seems like a freaking bargain if you ask me.
Poly: “Your point was worth looking into. As I suspected, water rates are cheaper in Sioux City. But….but….but…
Harrisburg, Tea, LMFAO.”
By all means let us know the difference in cost.
Sioux City: http://www.sioux-city.org/codemaster/title_12/12/220.html
First 200 cubic feet : $8.72 (min. charge), then $2.66/CF up to 4800CF.
Sioux Falls: http://www.siouxfalls.org/PublicWorks/utility_billing/water_rates.aspx
$3.43 basic charge + $2.92 up to 700CF and then $3.12 up to 5000 CF.
So if you used 400CF of water last month, you would pay $14.04 in Sioux City and $15.11 in Sioux Falls. However Sioux City is raising their rates in July which would bring the total to $14.61.
I’m going to go ahead and say that it would appear there isn’t a significant difference here. That said, the differences between Sioux City and Sioux Falls are that Sioux City water rates go down the more you use whereas Sioux Falls goes up the more you use. Personally that seems the more equitable way to do it and it promotes water conservation… but maybe you disagree.
So yes if you use 10,000CF of water you would save more money if you lived in Sioux City, but is that realistic? Also keep in mind that Sioux City gets its water directly from the Missouri River whereas Sioux Falls gets some of our water from the Big Sioux, some from aquifers, and now since our demand exceeds supply we are having to build a pipeline from the Missouri River. Which do you think is cheaper?
As to Harrisburg – their rates are roughly twice as expensive as Sioux Falls. And just think… since housing is marginally less expensive in Harrisburg, there are probably a lot of working poor down there who are impacted by those rates and who would love to have the low priced water that Sioux Falls offers.
LMAO right?
“How many millions do you think it costs to build a water treatment plant? How many to build a new water tower?”
But these expenditures should not come out of rates, like I have said numerous times, it should come out of the same place building new roads does.
So if you used 400CF of water last month, you would pay $14.04 in Sioux City and $15.11 in Sioux Falls…
…the differences between Sioux City and Sioux Falls are that Sioux City water rates go down the more you use whereas Sioux Falls goes up the more you use.
Nice try Cos. You are correct. The more you use in SF the more you pay than SC. That’s why you decided to twist the numbers in your favor. Very…how shall I say, Cosmic of you. But typical. The typical family of 4, (two parents, two kids,) is not going to use 4ccf of water a month. Unless that family uses an outhouse and has zero personal hygiene habits…yer numbers hold no water. Pun intended.
Try something closer to 10 ccf a month for a family of 4. You’ll be much closer. How ya like those numbers?
But these expenditures should not come out of rates, like I have said numerous times, it should come out of the same place building new roads does.
I think what you’re looking for can be found here l3wis.
http://www.siouxfalls.org/Finance/budget/current_budget/2011_budget
“But these expenditures should not come out of rates, like I have said numerous times, it should come out of the same place building new roads does.”
So the people who use the system shouldn’t pay for it and instead, we should just raise sales tax rates and/or special assessments to homeowners, or added gasoline taxes to make up the difference? Because that is how we pay for roads.
Yea that makes perfect sense.
Poly: That’s why you decided to twist the numbers in your favor.
Actually dipshit, I looked at my last water bill. I used 3CCF last month with three people in the house and visitors on two of the four weekends. So no I didn’t twist the numbers in my favor, I just based it upon my personal usage and added an extra 25%. So if you feel 10CCF is more accurate I’d like to ask where you obtained those numbers. I’m guessing from the dark orifice that you plant in your recliner, but let me know if I’m wrong.
Some people will use more, some will use less, but the point of this futile exercise is to show you that no… there is not a huge difference. That is why YOU failed to show the numbers when you made the original claim because you assumed nobody would check.
You were wrong. Again.
Had you actually wanted to be honest about the situation, you could have easily mentioned that the cost doesn’t actually rise until you have used more than 7CCF in Sioux Falls, and then it only goes up another 20 cents per CCF. Oh boy alert the media.
Meanwhile if we actually took your mythical 10CCF figure, we would find that it costs you $33.23 in Sioux Falls and $36.77 in Sioux City based upon 2011 rates. By all means check my math but that suggests to me that Sioux Falls is actually cheaper – and there still isn’t a significant difference.
So what exactly was your point again?
Why should my sales taxes pay for monkey crappers? I don’t use them. Why should I pay property taxes? I don’t have children in the district. C’mon, you know how this tax thing works, don’t play stupid.
[…] You know what the Midwest is? Young and restless, and this resetlessness helped Sioux Falls and Rapid City beat the recession. However, not much is open abou the event center. […]
Meanwhile if we actually took your mythical 10CCF figure, we would find that it costs you $33.23 in Sioux Falls and $36.77 in Sioux City based upon 2011 rates.
Just hopin you don’t really work with numbers cos. C’mon, this is pretty basic math. Recheck it.
L3wis, what is with these asinine PostSd fake comments that come through every few days?
SC:
Basic Charge: 9.07 (includes 2CCF)
Next 8 CCF: $2.77 each (total of 22.16).
Total: $31.23
SF:
Basic Charge (3/4″ Meter since I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt): $3.43
First 7 CCF: $2.92 each (total of $20.44)
Next 3 CCF: $3.12 each (total of $9.36)
Total: $33.23
So yes Poly I failed to subtract the 2CCF that are included in the SC basic charge. Thus the difference is in Sioux City’s favor by a whopping $2 which means that (yet again) there isn’t a significant difference.
Seems to me your original point seems pretty weak – even for those mythical people who use 10CCF per month. Meanwhile no comment from you on those “working poor” from Harrisburg who pay twice as much as the “working poor” from Sioux Falls.
Do you prefer that crow boiled or grilled?
Cosm.
Let me see if I got this right. Sioux City’s rates are over 6% cheaper than Sioux Falls, a city with similar volume rates, unlike Harrisburg which is held hostage by SF when it comes to water rates. You also could not complete a simple 4th grade math problem, and I’m the one who’s eating crow? LMFAO.
AND YER A BANKER?!?!
Scott – It is just a pingback to their site.
Poly – He works for a bank, if that is what you want to call them. I unfortunately have my mortgage and checking with them, and everytime I make a deposit I feel like I have been so molested that I need to take a shower afterwards. I can’t tell you how many times I have told the tellers “I will contact you if I am interested in the product.” One time I even asked for a manager and said I was tired of being treated like I was at a used car lot.
I’m not a banker poly, nor have I ever been nor claimed to be. And l3wis if I didn’t like my bank, I’d switch… but that isn’t as fun as complaining about them I suppose.
As far as the math issue poly I admitted my mistake (because I can actually admit when I’m wrong). You on the other hand are still stuck on this idiotic argument that Sioux Falls water rates are out of control when the best example you could come out with out of the dozens of cities that surround us was Sioux City… a town which literally has its entire abundant water source flowing directly beside it, and a town which has raised water rates three times in the past three years.
They have no need to pump water through a massive pipeline 70 miles away, no need to pump from aquifers… just suck it from a fast moving river. If you want to move to Sioux City to save 6% on your water bill have at it… but just try to ignore Iowa state income taxes and that ever-present Sioux City smell.
Somehow I guess I’d rather pay 6% more for my water with a sliding scale that punishes those who use/waste excessive amounts of water than live in Sioux City, but I’m also willing to bet on a list of 101 reasons to choose which city to live in, a difference in water rates probably would not make that list for the vast majority of people making such a decision.
I think we’re done here poly. You still haven’t made a valid point and you are becoming increasingly petty with each and every response. Feel free to have the last word and get one last jab in if you must.