2011

And you thought SF’s city government lacked transparency

Apparently, Rapid City has everyone in the state whipped;

Although many of the incumbents in next month’s mayor and city council races pledge they are proponents of open, transparent government, they operate the most closed-door city council sessions in South Dakota.

In 2010, councilors voted to shield their discussion from public view at 20 of the 23 regularly scheduled council meetings. They spent more than 18 hours discussing city issues they deemed sensitive enough for private discussion. That is nearly 20 percent of the 98 hours the body met in total, according to an analysis by the Rapid City Journal.

And compare that to Sioux Falls;

However, records indicate that Sioux Falls — which is more than twice as populous as Rapid City — entered closed sessions at only nine of its 43 meetings in 2010. That accounted for less than six hours, or 10 percent of the total meeting time. Sioux Falls City Attorney Dave Pfeifle said they only use the sessions for brief updates on litigation and other important discussions.

The litigation part I understand, but what does ‘important discussion’ mean? Personnel and Litigation matters – fine. Anything else should be wide open. Hasn’t RC learned something from the sanitation debacle? Maybe they have; MORE SECRECY.

 

Madison, SD’s government giving taxpayer dollars to private business (H/T – Madville)

There is other ways to give incentive to a business to create jobs, but apparently in Madison, the only incentive is your tax dollars. This kind of shit goes on in Sioux Falls to;

I knew it! The dog ordinances on Monday’s Madison City Commission agenda are a ruse to distract us from the corporate welfare our commissioners plan to hand out. Madison is taking sales tax dollars away from homebuyers and other towns to subsidize one local business,Custom Touch Homes.

It’s quite the scam to;

Follow the money here, people: right now, if Custom Touch sells a $100,000 house to someone in Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls gets $2,000 and Custom Touch gets $100,000. If Madison’s city commissioners o.k. this sales tax rebate, then Sioux Falls gets bupkis. Madison gets $1,000. Custom Touch gets $101,000. Taxpayers outside of Madison subsidize a boost in pure profit for a Madison business. Clever!

I get so tired of these handouts in the name of creating jobs. But are they good jobs? They should be living wage, dependable jobs, but that is not always the case.

We likes our SIN taxes in SD (H/T – Helga)

Well isn’t this funny.  All those pious right wingers and South Dakota leads in being a state that profits from sin. Can they say hypocrites???

From 24/7 Wall St.: As state budgets strain under huge debt loads, they are counting increasingly on “sin taxes”, one of the few reliable sources of revenue in these uncertain economic times. 

States have profited from the public’s voracious appetite for easy money (gambling), nicotine (smoking) and booze (alcohol) for years. Some are more successful at it than others. A few states generate less than 1% of their revenue from preying on their residents’ vices while sin accounts for between 5% and nearly 13% of the budgets of others. Some of the difference can be chalked up to varying rates of addiction, but aggressive tax policy also plays a part. Pennsylvania makes the greatest percent of its revenue from gaming taxes of any state. It charges a 55% tax on slot machine proceeds. Conversely, Las Vegas collects only 8%.

 

5. South Dakota
Most Profitable Sin: Lottery ($117 Million) 

Revenue From Sin: $212 Million (11th Lowest)

Total State Revenue: $3.8 Billion (The Lowest)

Percent Total Revenue From Sin: 5.63%

The National Association of State Budget Officers estimates that South Dakota collected less revenue than any state last year. That is why the state’s $212 million collected from “sin” is the fifth biggest percentage of government income in the country. The state collects the 19th most in gaming taxes in the U.S., although this is primarily because 29 states do not collect taxes on their casinos at all. The state’s biggest source of sin-based income is the South Dakota Lottery, which generated roughly $117 million in revenue last year. The state’s cigarette tax is $1.53 per pack, roughly triple that of North Dakota. The state’s alcohol taxes are also higher than most, at 27 cents per gallon of beer. According to the South Dakota newspaper The Capitol Journal, the state’s revenues from video lotteries actually dropped as much as 15% last year, possibly because of a smoking ban in casinos and bars which was enacted in November.

 


Thinking about working for the Argus Leader? Great job if you like unpaid vacation and no raises.

I knew this was going on, but had never heard about the depth of it, and the CEO’s take until I read my latest Hightower Newsletter. Of course the irony of all this is how our local endorser will advocate for taxpayers to pay for a new entertainment facility while sacrificing infrastructure while denying the same people they want to foot the bill at least a cost of living increase. Oh the irony of the MSM. And they think the blogs are silly. At least we don’t charge for our silliness.

Councilor Entenman Ethics Hearing today

Councilor Entenman’s hearing will be today at 2 PM (updated) at the old council chambers at City Hall (KELO will be covering it live on there website). It will be a public hearing because Jim waved confidentiality. Which is great, but also allows for a circus act. I have noticed that our local MSM has said nothing in advance of the hearing, or the notice of it, and if I am wrong, please point me in the right direction.

My prediction; Jim will be found to have no conflict of interest. I do think he will be reprimanded though for keeping his name on the liquor license list for as long as he did. If Jim is found to have a conflict of interest, he may resign from the council. I don’t think he realized the magnifying glass he would be put under after becoming a councilor, and I don’t think he likes it.

There is one good thing about Entenman resigning, it is an at large seat and there could be a special election for that appointment. Council chairman Jamison has mentioned to me that there should be a special election when an at large councilor resigns. I agree.

Maybe I will throw my hat in the ring? Of course that is just speculation . . . I mean . . . that Entenman will resign.