During ‘Ask the Dictator . . . uh, I mean Mayor’ (FF:19:32). He says;
“You know Sioux Falls, we don’t have to wait for the street sweepers to come by and sweep our streets, we don’t have to, ah, if you got leaves or junk in your curb or gutter, hey, go out there and sweep it up . . .
I think sometimes we rely on government so much to do the work for us, when we are so capable to do the work ourselves . . .”
He also went on to claim that they are sweeping the streets three times a year. I don’t think so.
I will have the mayor know, that I do go sweep my own curb, several times a year, but I usually have to use a scoop shovel, because there is so much crap, and while I don’t take issue with that, I take issue with your statement about ‘depending on government’ to do our work for us.
1) The streets are owned by the city and we pay taxes to have them maintained. This includes repair, resurfacing, snowplowing and YES sweeping.
2) The city maintains a public works department responsible for street maintenance, our taxes buy the street sweeping equipment and YES, pay the operators to run the machines.
Do I expect government to do everything for me? Not at all, but when I am paying into government to perform a service, I expect it to be done.
Locally I figured I spent about $2,800 in taxes (sales/property) last year. If I sweep my own street (which I do quite often) do I get a discount?
As for government ‘expecting’ to do things for us, you are right. I don’t expect things like;
– $500,000 to an indoor tennis center so 102 members have a place like that.
– $24 Million to an indoor pool
– $115 Million for an entertainment facility
Government’s first expectation is to provide services for the taxes we pay (like sweeping the streets) Not to entertain us.
Once again, the mayor demonstrates his skewed priorities.