South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

October 2016

Planning Commission SF City Council Sioux Falls

The Two-Faces of the Sioux Falls Planning Department

l3wis 6Comments

augie-luth-sign

Augustana Lutheran’s proposed sign on sleepy Prairie Avenue.

good-news-sign

Good News Church’s proposed sign on a very busy 4-lane, 26th Street.

I don’t need to tell you about the hypocrisy and irony of city government, it’s the reason I blog. But sometimes things stick out like a sore thumb.

Take for instance the city council’s reconsideration of the sign Augustana Lutheran is proposing (Item #21). The Planning Commission voted it down 7-0, the Planning Department also recommended denial, even though only a couple of people in the neighborhood were against it due to ‘distraction and lighting’ issues, even though the church has vowed to not make the sign animated (static changing messages) and it would shut off at 10 PM at night.

But only a month later, look at the Planning Commission’s agenda (Item #6). A proposed digital sign by a church in a residential area on a very busy street. The Planning Commission recommends approval. While I don’t disagree with them, why is this sign OK by a church, in a residential area on a very busy street, but not the very subtle, historical looking, Augustana sign in a residential area?

While I am all for historical neighborhoods trying to retain historical aspects, I also look at two factors; Does the sign at Augustana take away anything from the historical neighborhood or distract from it? Not at all.

Does the sign harm the traffic flow or the historical nature of the traffic flow? Not even close. While Prairie Avenue is mildly busy, I don’t see anyone distracted by a static sign that gets shut off at 10 PM.

Like the code enforcement office, the planning department seems to make decisions based on the influence of certain people with fat wallets.

Hopefully the city council sends the planning department packing and approves the Augustana AND the Good News sign.

SF City Council Sioux Falls

Interesting topics at the Sioux Falls City Council Informational meeting

l3wis 1Comments

When you follow this stuff for over a decade, you sometimes get the feeling a broken record is being played;

Today’s informational meeting will cover;

  • Foundation Park (and all the taxpayer expenditures with NO tenants)
  • Paratransit funding (and how the mayor is still p’ssed that we aren’t charging more for it)
  • The National Citizen Survey (and how we are allowing under 1% of citizens tell us how to run this town)

Hope you tune in, buckle up your boots, get your scoop shovels in working order and wear gas masks, it’s going to be tantalizing.

SF City Council SFPD Sioux Falls

What’s up with Wiley’s Pub?

l3wis 7Comments

Over the past year or so there have been several complaints to city councilors, the SFPD, and the Minnehaha County commissioners and frankly anyone who will listen about how Wileys conducts business (video lottery and smoking) and security issues.

I went with three city councilors on Friday night to the establishment. I left at around 10 PM, but before I left I noticed that on Friday nights that they serve ‘fish bowl’ drinks. They are pretty much a beer pitcher filled with a mixer and about 5 shots of booze. I knew where this party was going.

While I didn’t see anything unusual (when I was in my 20’s I hung out at the Pomp Room, Top Hat and JAMZ) I will say the food was awful and it was extremely loud.

Well, I did get out of there in good time, like I said, I knew where the party was headed when you are serving 5-shot drinks. The councilors stuck around, and they got quite a show.

Besides the extremely intoxicated people leaving at the end of the night and stumbling into traffic on busy 6th street and Main, the security, who are mostly off-duty police officers, really abused their power. At one point seven of them were on top of one intoxicated gentleman outside.

Some would say when people are that extremely ripped, they get treated by how they are acting. But who is creating this kind of binge drinking environment?

I suspect we will be hearing more about Wiley’s from the city council over the next week. The council has photos and video of the activities from Friday night.

Elections

Nielson Brothers Polling; Large percentage of undecided voters

l3wis 1Comments

Get ready for mass confusion on election day.

For immediate release:

Date: October 31, 2016

Survey: Nielson Brothers Polling (NBP), South Dakota Survey, October 24 – 26 , 2016

Subjects:  Statewide political campaigns, initiatives and same sex marriage.

Contact information:  nbpolling@gmail.com,

Republicans dominate in South Dakota statewide races, redistricting Amendment T appears to be headed to passage, while same sex marriage remains unpopular

South Dakota voters will reelect three Republican incumbents running for statewide office, and will support Republican candidate Donald Trump for president, according to the October 24 – 26, 2016 Nielson Brothers Polling (NBP) survey.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton 49* to 35 percent (Libertarian Gary Johnson – 7 percent, Constitution Party candidate Darrell Castle – one percent, undecided – 8 percent).

Incumbent US Senator John Thune leads Democratic challenger Jay Williams 54 to 35 percent, with 11 percent undecided.

Incumbent US House member Kristi Noem’s leads Democratic challenger Paula Hawks 51 to 41 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

Public Utilities Commissioner incumbent Chris Nelson leads Democratic challenger Henry Red Cloud 56 to 24 percent, with 20 percent undecided.

Two ballot measures appear headed toward passage. Amendment T, which moves redistricting authority from the state legislature to a nine person commission, has 42 percent of voters saying they will vote for it, 27 percent against, and 31 percent still undecided.

Initiated Measure 21, which limits annual loan rates for certain lenders at 36 percent, has 39 percent voting for it, 26 percent against, and 35 percent undecided.

The fate of a third ballot measure appears uncertain.  Amendment V, which removes candidate party affiliation except for president, has 38 percent support and an equal 38 percent opposed, with 24 percent undecided.

The rest of the ballot measures and initiatives polled in NBP’s survey lag in support.

Amendment U, which allows unlimited interest rates for written loan agreements, has only 24 percent of voters saying they will vote for it, 45 percent against, and 30 percent undecided.

.

Initiated Measure 23, which would give corporate and nonprofit organizations the right to charge a fee for any service they provide, has 20 percent support, 50 percent opposed, and 30 percent undecided.

Referred Law 20, which would lower the state youth minimum wage to $7. 50 an hour for non-tipped employees under age 18, has 31 percent support, 51 percent opposed, and 19 percent undecided.

The fate of each measure depends in large part on the high numbers of undecided voters.

When South Dakota voters were also  asked whether they would rather live in Sioux Falls or Rapid City, 55 percent said Sioux Falls, 15 percent Rapid City, and 30 percent were unsure.

Finally, same sex marriage remains unpopular among South Dakota voters.  Fifty percent of voters say it should be illegal, compared with 36 percent who say it should be legal, and 14 percent unsure.

NBP conducted this South Dakota survey of likely voters from October 24 to 26, 2017. For more information contact NBP at nbpolling@gmail.com  or 605 496-0911. Follow NBP on Twitter @nielsonbrothers.

*Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Questions, Answers (%, rounded), Response Numbers,Margins of Error (%)

Is South Dakota headed in the right or wrong direction? If right direction press one. If wrong press two. If undecided press three.

Right 44%*

Wrong 29

Undecided 27

604 responses,  3.99 percent margin of error

How do you rate the job done by President Obama? If you strongly approve press one. If you somewhat approve press two. If you somewhat disapprove press three. If you strongly disapprove press four.

Strongly approve27%

Somewhat approve 18

Somewhat disapprove 12

Strongly disapprove 43

606 responses, 3.98 percent margin of error

For US President would you vote for Republican Donald Trump Libertarian Gary Johnson Democrat Hillary Clinton or Constitution candidate Darrell Castle? If for Trump press one. If for Johnson press two. If for Clinton press three. If for Castle press four. If undecided press five.

Trump 49%

Johnson 7

Clinton 35

Castle 1

Undecided 8

587 responses,  4.04 percent margin of error

For US Senate if you would vote for Republican John Thune press one. If for Democrat Jay Williams press two. If undecided press three.

Thune 54%

Williams 35

Undecided 11

585 responses,  4.05 percent margin of error

For US House if you would vote for Republican Kristi Noem press one. If for Democrat Paula Hawks press two. If undecided press three.

Noem 51%

Hawks 41

Undecided   8

584 responses,  4.05 percent margin of error

For Public Utilities Commissioner if you would vote for Republican Chris Nelson press one. If for Democrat Henry Red Cloud press two. If undecided press three.

Nelson 56%

Red Cloud 24

Undecided 20

574 responses,  4.09 percent margin of error

How do you rate the job done by US Representative Kristi Noem? If you strongly approve press one. If you somewhat approve press two. If you somewhat disapprove press three. If you strongly disapprove press four.

Strongly approve 25%

Somewhat approve 31

Somewhat disapprove 20

Strongly disapprove 25

571 responses,  4.10 percent margin of error

How do you rate the job done by Governor Dennis Daugaard? If you strongly approve press one. If you somewhat approve press two. If you somewhat disapprove press three. If you strongly disapprove press four.

Strongly approve 28%

Somewhat approve 33

Somewhat disapprove 24

Strongly disapprove 16

570 responses,  4.10 percent margin of error

Currently the state legislature redraws legislative districts every ten years. Amendment T will move that redistricting authority to a commission of nine members made up of three Republicans three Democrats and three members unaffiliated with either party. If you will vote for Amendment T press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for42%

Vote against 27

Undecided 31

521 responses,  4.29 percent margin of error

Amendment U puts no limit on the interest rate a lender may charge as long as the agreement is in writing. Without a written agreement the interest rate is capped at 18 percent. If you will vote for amendment U press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for 24%

Vote against 45

Undecided 30

513 responses,  4.33 percent margin of error

Amendment V removes all party labels for candidates running in federal state and local races except for US President. All candidates would run in a single primary election with the top two advancing to the general election. If you will vote for Amendment V press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for 38%

Vote against 38

Undecided 24

508 responses,  4.35 percent margin of error

Initiated measure 21 prohibits certain lenders from making a loan at an annual rate greater than 36 percent. This does not apply to certain lenders including state and national banks as well as businesses financing goods and services they sell. If you will vote for measure 21 press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for 39%

Vote against 26

Undecided 35

502 responses,  4.37 percent margin of error

Initiated Measure 23 would give corporate and nonprofit organizations the right to charge a fee for any service they provide. If you will vote for measure 23 press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for20%

Vote against 50

Undecided 30

496 responses,  4.40 percent margin of error

Referred Law 20 lowers the state youth minimum wage from 8 dollars and 55 cents per hour to 7 dollars and 50 cents for non-tipped employees under age 18. No annual cost of living adjustment would be required. If you will vote for Referred Law 20 press one. If against press two. If undecided press three.

Vote for31%

Vote against 51

Undecided 19

495 responses,  4.40 percent margin of error

Would you rather live in the Rapid City or Sioux Falls Metro area? If Rapid City press one. If Sioux Falls press two. If unsure press three.

Sioux Falls55%

Rapid City 15

Unsure 30

488 responses,  4.43 percent margin of error

If gay marriage should not be legal in South Dakota press one. If legal press two. If unsure press three.

Legal36%

Not legal 50

Unsure 14

474 responses,  4.50 percent margin of error

*Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Next Page »

You Missed

Bike Trail Public Utilities Public Works Sioux Falls Uncategorized

Sioux Falls is hostile towards bicyclists and peds

David Barranco Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls State Funding State Legislature Uncategorized

TenHaken’s comment about Culture Wars shows his ignorance on how laws are made and his greed

Art Music Sioux Falls

The Color of Sound

Cartoon Mayor TenHaken Political Satire Satire

Merry Christmas!