I will try to keep my predictions to local issues, even though some overlap with state and national issues. I will be honest with you, until Disco Taco brought up the topic, I really haven’t thought about it much. When asked about my personal goals for 2019, I keep it simple; build an outdoor studio, paint more and possibly travel out of the country.
So I really want to hear from you. Tell me what you think will happen in 2019.
Here are mine. I will try to start on a positive note;
• Sioux Falls Housing Market. I think this will finally level out and become easier to find affordable homes.
• Public Transit. I think that there will be some early positive changes in 2019. BUT, I think fixing the transit system will take time, with a trial and error approach.
• I think the Billion’s Black Iron project will not only change, but will be tanked all together. I think a different developer will swoop in and take over the area. The story now is the Lloyd Companies are now interested in the property. This is just a rumor at this point, but we will just have to wait and see.
• I think a crap load of TIFs will be proposed, everything from the RR redevelopment area, to the Sioux Steel location and the 85th exchange. I actually believe this is the biggest volcano waiting to erupt in 2019 and the one to watch. It may actually take a citizen petition drive to change the way TIFs are used in Sioux Falls. A former legislator suggested instead of TIFs;
There is a Federal program for polluted areas called Brownfield reclamation program and that should give them all the money they need.
While I understand what he is referring to, I think it has to be requested by the city and not the private developer. I have often suggested that the city SHOULD clean the blighted land first, than sell it, so we can avoid TIFs.
• Transparency in City Government will continue to be under attack. Besides the slow burn of trying to kill public input, I have heard rumblings about how the Mayor’s office is holding back information to certain city councilors for bargaining chips. I know, this has been going on since the Munson days, but I think the TenHaken administration is going to get more vicious with it. This would also be a great thing to petition about, making public records more open and putting it in charter.
• Speaking of petition drives, there have been several ideas thrown around. Everything from fixing sidewalks to trimming trees to public safety. I have suggested that all of the ideas need to be filed at the same time so multiple petitions can be circulated at the same time. I think this will be far more efficient and have a greater impact. Expect something coming forward in 2019.
• I think the National economy is going to take a turn for the worse. Not as bad as 2008, but with inevitable indictments for the president over tax evasion and Russian ties, Wall Street will get nervous.
Locally we will suffer because of the idiotic agricultural product trade wars Trump has created. Believe it or not, when rural SD, IA and MN don’t do well in the region, Sioux Falls hurts. While we did better than expected in 2018, I expect us to be pretty flat in 2019 for sales tax collection, around 2-3%.
• Restaurant implosion. This is something I have seen coming for a long time in Sioux Falls. The SF health department inspects over 1,000 food service establishments in Sioux Falls. Not all are sit down, full service restaurants, but you get the drift. I think the small time entrepreneur will say good bye and a lot of fringe franchises will close. The big barf bags like Applebees & Chilis will survive, so will the organized smaller local franchises and established fast food places. What you will see though is something that is good for the consumer, restaurants that provide good service, terrific food, and consistency at a reasonable price. Even if I am wrong about this prediction, can’t one dream a little? I used to joke about 5 years ago, “700 restaurants in Sioux Falls, but not a decent place to eat.”
• Sioux Falls is about to get stinkier. With the Smithfield plant almost doubling hog butchering, let’s just hope most of the wind this year is coming from the South.
Tell me what you think!