It was nice of Mayor Huether to allow the financial director of our city, Tracy Turbak, to sign this letter to the editor. Apparently, the city is embracing the glass is half full philosophy;
Nearly half of the city’s debt relates to public utility services — water, sewer and landfill — and is repaid by the users of these services — not general taxpayers.
While I thought Mike Turbak made some good points about the differences between city and state debt, this statement above by Tracy Huether had me a bit concerned. So almost HALF our city debt (around $200 million) is for things other than infrastructure? That was the whole point of Ellis’ column, the fact that the city should stop borrowing and creating debt for entertainment/recreation. But obviously in the midst of campaign season, that went right over Turbak’s head, uh, I mean, Mike’s head.
Don’t know where you got that none of the other half was for infrastructure. It only says that those three areas are paid for DIRECTLY by fees for users. How about, for example, the debt that was incurred for another item featured in today’s edition – the LEVY SYSTEM? Is that infrastructure? How about debt incurred for a “building” (EC)? Aren’t buildings infrastructure? You really ought to gain a better understanding of words’ meaning before you start throwing them out there.
Hey! I got an idea – maybe you could continue your education at USF, or the University Center and pick up a writing/journalism credit or two???
The EC as infrastructure. Thanks for the Spin Ruf, and the laugh of the day.
So the mayor convinces the rufs among us to believe a playhouse if critical to the daily lives of Sioux Falls residents. Wow, this is a stretch…
According to Merriam Webster (a dictionary), the EC is a building and is considered infrastructure.
Full Definition of INFRASTRUCTURE
1: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)
2: the permanent installations required for military purposes
3: the system of public works of a country, state, or region; also : the resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity
Playhouse? Seriously? That event center is going to create business for a lot of other small businesses in town. Do you want Sioux Falls to grow or not? Do you realize what the potential of this place could do? Please stop being so negative and blind to the potential growth.
Why does the mmm have this need to provide everything all at once. If infrastructure is floods and tree damage and he saved us all he should save a little bit to look like he will save us again. Maybe they’ll call a 4thwalfart infrastructure too. If the hockey and skaters can raise funds why can’t the swimmers better yet Sanford could pony up. I’m thinking we’re heading for the name change to Sanford Falls or erp and burp or Jim and swim I’ll put 50 on Sanford falls that might be infrastructure too
And maybe ruf needs an economics course to learn the definition of infrastructure. I have felt for a long time, since the Washington Pavillion, that the city government is way too concerned with our entertainment compared with keeping the mechanics of the city in top shape. Recent example — the water pipe break on Phillips that flooded nearby businesses. And don’t tell me it was the ground freezing and thawing (as someone had tried). The ground is frozen solid with winter and these pipes are below the frost line anyway. They pipes are just OLD and need to be proactively replaced and maintained, rather than waiting for them to break.
It makes me think of the Roman Coliseum being built to entertain the masses while Nero could watch Rome burn. He was entertaining them so they would not revolt.
Teatime – please read the DICTIONARY DEFINITION of infrastructure above.
You must have missed the recent news article on the effect of the 4th coldest winter on record on the depth of frost this year. the depth of frost is NOT a precisely consistent thing every year. Engineering design standards for water main depths are based on long-term expected average depths – not maximum possible depths.
Where did you get your civil engineering degree anyhow?
Nice try at changing the subject. The Argus’ funny math and your original post was about the City owing more than the State. Period. Now, Trubak’s pointed out, correctly, that the Argus knowingly elected to exclude over a billion in revenue supported debt at the state level while including the City’s revenue debt.
Just admit you and the Argus were dead wrong and move along.
Actually the pipe breakage downtown is probably part of the massive lawsuit surrounding the ‘modern’ infrastructure pipe failures throughout the USA. The pipe manufacturers are trying to find ways to limit their liability when this goes ‘class’. Sioux Falls very likely bought this cheap pipe when Phillips Ave was recently rebuilt. Boom…
I’ve spoken to several city employees lately and was surprised they disagree with debt. They’re worried the city could go bankrupt and they’d lose their pensions. From small town papers, I found NW. Iowa & SW. Minnesota despise how Sioux Falls has wasted budget. They shop in Sioux Falls & feel they should have say because they pay sales tax. Roads & utilities should have had focus, not indoor coliseums. There’s a new campaign to widen & pave south 7 miles from the Garretson Exit to Grand Falls Casino. When infrastructure is so poor that the retail radius seeks a bypass, it’s a problem.
Ah – wonderful pathloss – your true colors shine through – you advocate democracy for sale to the highest bidder – those who “pay” should have the say.
How about he who owns more property or pays more taxes has more votes? Kinda like stock ownership in a private corporations. Is that how you think the country should work?
There are people in my little town who feel the same way – only property owner/directly billed property tax payers should have a vote. Imagine their looks of stunned ignorance when it’s pointed out to them that disabled veterans in SD are exempt from property taxes – and so their scheme would not allow them a vote.
You know, when this country was first founded you needed to be a white male Christian property owner to vote – right No women, no blacks, no Asians, no renters, no atheists, no….. well, you get the picture. We’ve learned a little something about democracy since then and made adjustments.
You know – when you jerk your knee like that so often, pretty soon it you develop a habit of sticking your foot up in your own mouth.
pathloss, I am sure the paving campaign is from the Casino so they can gain more access points from the interstate to pay for the sub-par casino they built and the future “resort” they are hoping people will use for vacation.