2011

UPDATE: Now you see it, now you don’t.

l3wis November 6, 2011 26Comments

Update: Bob Litz invited Theresa Stehly today to be the poll watcher tomorrow when they open the absentee ballots.

And just for clarification, the top picture was taken by Ellis at the Argus Leader. I took the bottom picture the ONE time I drove by.

(Top Image: Ellis, Argus Leader • Bottom image: me

It only took about 24 hours, but Minnehaha County Auditor, Bob Litz figured out it was not such a good idea to post a Pro-Events Center sign in his yard (seeing that he is the one responsible for counting the votes and all).

But that did not stop his wife from calling citizen advocate Theresa Stehly and telling her,

“The signs were hers and she supports the events center, so they are staying up.”

But they are down. Hmmm . . .

Hope your night on the couch was comfortable Bob? No worries, rumor has it our mayor prefers couches over beds.

Anyhoo, on a serious note, this should alarm voters. I think this vote will be tight, could even come to a recount. Can we trust a county auditor who supports one side of the issue to be fair and balanced in the event of a recount?

Absentee ballot envelope opening starts about 2 PM on Tuesday, it might be a good idea to have an (opposition) poll watcher in the auditor’s office making sure things are on the up and up. Wonder what Litz’s wife is up to that day? Fluffing couch pillows? Maybe she could be a poll watcher for the supporters?

We have a bad track record when it comes to cost overruns and bonding.

l3wis November 6, 2011 10Comments

Need mo money? I am here to help.

My co-host on Rant-A-Bit writes an informative column about the need of an Events Center. Jen Holsen also chimes in with an article about the current economic status of our state, city and nation.

I however will be writing about our past adventures in taxpayer subsidized ‘quality of life’ projects in our community. While it is easy to look at Mayor Huether and his administration as a different beast, we still cannot help to remember the past and the cost overruns in our city on past projects;

• The Pavilion was supposed to cost $19-21 million. It has cost taxpayer’s over $40 million and that does not include operating subsidies.

• Phillips to the Falls, which has not been developed yet, was supposed to cost $1.5 million, that cost doubled in the middle of the night to $3 million by a secret contract signing by former Mayor Munson.

• Lewis and Clark has cost SF taxpayer’s $80 million so far with the bonding of $70 million and no tentative schedule of when we will be using this pipeline, now that the Feds are bailing on us (again).

• The River Greenway project was supposed to cost $5 million, and now will probably exceed $8 million when finished.

Do you detect a pattern here? The city is infamous for cost overruns. Who do you think will pay for these overruns? Santa Claus? I will applaud the city on one aspect of the EC plan, they hired a risk manager, smart move, but that doesn’t prevent overruns and new projects that have to be added to the EC to make it’s completion final.

The Lewis and Clark project sticks out like a sore thumb though. The city was so reckless to bond $70 million for a project that had no guarantees (and still doesn’t) yet they want us to trust them on bonding for $125 million? And don’t forget the city debt is hovering at $280 million right now, that would put us over $400 million in debt (something the BIN people don’t bring up in their ads).

Do I have a problem with bonding? Nope. But at least 30-40% of this project should be paid for up front from reserves and private investment.

We have a bad track record when it comes to cost overruns and bonding, how can we trust the city this time around?

Guest Post: Ayn Bird – Events Center Curtains

l3wis November 6, 2011 7Comments

Curtains, curtains, curtains are a critically important part of the planned $183.7 million (interest included) events center that the voters of Sioux Falls will be voting on November 8th.  When people look at the architect’s pictures of the 12,000-seat events center (with possible expansion to 15,000 seats in the future), the pictures show the escalators, plush suites, and crowds of people.  Conspicuously absent from these public-relations pictures are the curtains.  Curtains are crucial for the planned events center because the consultants’ report reveals that the events center will be empty much of the time, even when events are actually taking place inside the facility.  For example, it is projected that attendance at professional sporting events will average between 3,000 and 4,000 people, thereby leaving around 67% to 75% of the facility sitting empty during a sporting event.  To cover up the embarrassment of having low attendance, curtains will be used to hide the empty seats.

Hiding empty seats with curtains is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of not providing all the information that is needed to allow voters to make an informed decision on the events center.  For example, not one Sioux Falls professional or amateur sports team has committed to being a tenant for the planned events center.  Only the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau has indicated that they would be a tenant so as to gain access to 30,000 square feet of flat floor space.  They do not need the 12,000 seats.  Furthermore, the citizens of Sioux Falls have not received an explanation as to why the mayor failed in carrying out his promise to raise $20+ million from the business community in order to build the facility.  Also, voters have not been told that ticket buyers will not be paying one penny for the construction of the entertainment complex because taxpayers will be footing 100% of the cost, including those Sioux Falls residents who will never set foot in the facility.  And finally, why have the citizens not been informed that the projected 184 permanent jobs will cost $1 million per job?

In the midst of this Great Recession, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the city wants taxpayers to take on a debt burden of $183.7 million to build a new facility that can not be filled, while at the same time the city will be keeping the current Arena that can not be filled.  Wisdom would dictate refurbishing the Arena for a fraction of the cost of an events center, and then building an events center when the city finally outgrows the Arena.  Please vote “no” on November 8^th for a better Sioux Falls!

(Disclosure: This letter was scheduled to print in the Argus Leader, but never made it (yet). Ayn is the daughter of Dr. Kermit Staggers)

Final Events Center vote prediction

l3wis November 4, 2011 12Comments

If you average out all of the polls done so far and factor in the money being spent by Build It Now, it is hard to see this thing not passing by at least 52%. And while I have been leaning towards passage, I just can’t get past the public perception and sentiment on this issue. It is in the toilet. I rarely hear a positive thing about the project, and this is from people who actually vote. Polls are effective, if the people you are polling show up to vote. In the Nielson Brothers poll this part caught my eye;

The proposal draws least support (35% voting “yes”) among voters 65 years and older.

This is the largest voting block. While I still think this will be close, I am going to predict this will fail due to high voter turnout by the older generation and poor public perception;

51% – NO

49% – Yes

Voter turnout will be high, and that is evident in the absentee ballots that have been cast (over 4,000). There is a chance for snow on Tuesday, but it is supposed to be in the high 40’s. Wouldn’t that be a kicker if we have a early snowstorm?

I predict 26,000 votes will be cast.