Good evening, I am Bruce Danielson, a resident of Sioux Falls and chairman of Citizen’s for Integrity.
I attended a forum last Friday to listen to their speaker talk about our town.
In my role with Citizen’s for Integrity I am attending as many forums as I can fit in. One of these gatherings was last Friday’s Democratic Forum at the VFW. This political organization has met for decades every Friday with a different speaker each week. I am sure many of you have appeared there.
During the post speech Q&A period, I asked the speaker why the city’s advocacy sessions disguised as education why the 3 Charter Revision Commission ballot measures are not also mentioned. Are these not also on the ballot? Can any of you tell us right now what these measures are?
We are offered a cute little green triâ€fold advocational brochure giving the city’s wishes disguised as information, to defeat the 4 citizen ballot measures. We have citizens who have worked hard to clean up the messy language of the city’s charter, but I guess it’s not worth mentioning. Where the city attorney could actually make a positive difference, there is nothing presented?
The Friday speaker stated we citizens were not interested in them, so the items do not need to be explained. The speaker did not seem to understand the Charter is the city’s equivalence to the State or National Constitution. We are asked to make changes to basic city rules you are charged with complying with.
At the meeting our speaker was asked why the silence, his answer was, “Where do you stop?†This was a strange response when the speaker has promoted his political views on the city’s dime and time. For some reason, basic information is not necessary but advocacy in the name of education is required.
Some of us like to be informed, not propagandized. So we are left to hunt for the miniscule charter question information hidden on the city’s website.
We have several more city Advocational meetings yet to be held, will the city treat the hard work of the Charter Revision Commission as something we the citizens deserve to understand?
So to the speaker of last week’s Democratic Forum, we ask you direct the City Attorney’s Office to put some effort into the Charter ballot measure education as you have the advocational defeat of all the citizen initiatives.
Thank you Mayor Huether and council for helping the people of Sioux Falls understand the need for our new petition effort.
Pay attention to the 2:30 point were the mayor sets himself up to be jeered or booed by what was supposed to be a friendly crowd.
Were the charter revisions done via initiated measure?
Are the charter revisions on the ballot due to being referred?
Is there any opposition to the charter revisions? ANY?
Are YOU opposed to the charter revisions Bruce?
Did you get any support at the forum for your questions/position Bruce? ANY?
Calm down ruf and take a chill pill.
I want all voters to be informed. Why should the voter only find out about the measures when they show up at the voting booth?
If the mayor and his administration are doing their jobs, they would not be advocating anything disguised at education. The city administration would also be encouraging everyone to study-up on all ballot measures, not only the ones they dislike.
This election has legality issues. The city is not doing its job as laid out in state law and city code.
“I want all voters to be informed. Why should the voter only find out about the measures when they show up at the voting booth?”
So, How many educational for a have you held regarding all of the ballot issues Bruce?
“This election has legality issues. The city is not doing its job as laid out in state law and city code.”
So – file charges.
Rufusx, you do a better job of answering the questions than the Mayor. I think maybe you should be running for mayor.
It seems to me that when there are issues on the ballot it is the responsibility of the government entity involved to educate the voters on all the issues at hand and not just some of them. Unless you approach government from a business mind, then you will only market those products you care to sell and can profit from and not those which you have no skin in or potential gain to acquire from.
On another note, I find great disappointment in the fact that the April 8th City election will be conducted using “Super Precincts.” I am sure it has something to do with the election being held jointly with the School Board, but “SP” are an undemocratic concept which invites voter suppression.
Elections are to be held to facilitate the voter and not the counter at the voter’s expense. “SP” hold no redeeming value when it comes to promoting and preserving such innate democratic institutions as the act of voting itself in an environment free of intimidation and obstacles.
The city has taken over the process. We used to have organizations such as the League of Women Voters who would help the process.
Our salesman mayor has decided his message is more important than any others, so he has crowded everyone else out.
This is why we state,
using the city’s dime and time to Advocate disguised as Education.
Well good enough reason to vote for Jamison this time.
I agree commander. Time for spring cleaning at city hall.
Jennifer Holsen has just written a pc on her blog related to this subject, “Cherry Picking How To Educate the Public”.
jenholsen.blogspot.com
How can three changes to the City Charter be any less important than the initiated and referred measures??!!
Greg Jamison needs to call the Mayor out on this at Wednesday night’s League of Women Voters forum!
The Charter changes will have no effect on the general public, so why would you waste your time on explaining this? The ballot questions have a significant effect thus having educational presentations to help the public know exactly what they will be voting for. I have heard from folks who have gone to one of the educational meetings and report they are very informational and helpful. I will be attending one soon so I cannot say one way or another, but I have heard all positive things for these meetings.
Election management is the responsibility of the City Clerk, who answers to the City Council. Maybe the Mayor needs to call out Greg Jamison at Wednesday’s forum.
Anon, So Huether is supposed to call Jamison out for not knowing the answer to a simple question? Just because it is not the responsibility of the mayor’s office, shouldn’t the mayor at least KNOW who’s responsibility it is? This isn’t about who’s duty it is, it’s about how knowledgeable this mayor is. After 4 years in office, he has no clue who runs the city elections. Amazing. Maybe Jamison should call him out for being a dumbass? That would be more appropriate.
Derby, WTF? If the charter changes will have no affect on us, why are we getting to vote on them? Why doesn’t the city attorney just put them in place? And yes, the Advocational sessions are very informational, if you don’t want an outdoor pool, you want a WM and you think a 400 page Zoning ordinance should be allowed to be put in place on one single vote by the council.
“The Charter changes will have no effect on the general public, so why would you waste your time on explaining this? “
Oh My God, this is where the city gets its power to award special benefits, destroy others, ruin people and reward others. The Charter is the agreement between those in power and the people who own the government on what is proper.
You may not want to waste your time understanding the Constitution but some of us have great reverence to it and the other processes we live under.
The Charter is what makes us a General Public. Go back and pay attention to government 101.
The City Clerk is responsible for the election. The City Attorney is supposed to work for us to keep the Mayor and council out of trouble. He is not an employee of the Mayor, in theory he is an adviser to the mayor on our behalf.
The Mayor has directed city employees to do what they can to make sure his agenda is passed by the people this April. The City Attorney appears to be doing what he was told, justify the advocacy.
l3wis The only thing this mayor needs to know about any election is “I have to win”.
I agree that all changes on the ballot should be explained.
So one of you anti-informationistas – educate us – on the charter changes – just exactly what are the changes and how will they effect the public.
Screw the vague generalities about the whole charter – just focus on the specific details.
Winston – I am running for mayor – not in your burg.
Seriously, I know the importance of charters. But the ones on this years ballot will not have any effect on the general public, have you read the amendments that are being put on the ballot? Tell me how those are going to effect me personally, economically, are they going to effect my rights…no.
Mayor Huether has brought an enthusiasm and energy to city government. However, Huether’s vision for the city is short sighted. He is in such a rush to get it done now to build his resume that we are missing opportunities. An example is fixing the streets with asphalt overlays rather than doing phased concrete replacement. Huether also pushed for an events center that will not offer much of a return on investment. We have not seen addition construction near the new EC nor will we. The indoor pool is the same thing- get it done now rather than get it done right.
I am tired of My Man Mike and his shortsighted leadership.
Derby, you don’t think it is important for the council to assist the mayor in hiring/firing a city attorney? That’s one of the charter questions. Bet you didn’t know that, because they are not ‘educating’ us on them. And that question may be the reason why.