Just because the mayor can’t vote on the council, doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have VETO power (which I agree with).
He also spreads the GOP talking point lie about signing a petition. Signing a petition doesn’t mean you are FOR or AGAINST something. A valid petition drive means it puts it on the ballot. It just gives you the right to vote on the measure, it doesn’t mean the measure passes. They of course know that, but they continue to muddy the waters. He also says that according to the Charter the Mayor sets the agenda. This is also a ‘half-truth’. As I have said in the past, the Charter gives the mayor the power to run the city operationally and administratively. He certainly can give policy suggestions to the city council whether he sits on the body or not, but he is NOT the policy director for the city, that is the city council. He is sadly mistaken if he thinks it is his job to set policy, another reason why we need these checks and balances put in place. And one more contentious issue that PTH didn’t bring up in the video, by making up rules two weeks into the drive (especially the one about limiting circulators) it is simply voter suppression and a violation of 1st Amendment rights. The city attorney’s opinion on this doesn’t hold much water.
Is the mayor’s leadership so minimal he has to hide his comments on Facebook? Notice how he does not remind us of his previous desire to be a small government conservative who won’t waste tax dollars on bonding? He was to be the great consensus builder opening up local government to everyone? He seems to be taking on the approach of his predecessor? He seems to have forgotten the why in this post.
Paul TenHaken was live on Facebook August 26th, 2019 to say: “Some people are trying to tinker with your city government. Let’s talk about why that’s a bad idea (in addition to the many reasons below).
☑ï¸SmartAsset – #1 City in the country for Young Professionals.
☑ï¸Livibility – 7th best city in the US to live in.
☑ï¸Record building permit valuations for past 6-7 years. (yet we continue to handout TIFs, tax abatements and rebates and other corporate welfare to big developers? Why?)
☑ï¸2.5% unemployment. (and super low wages. Around 70% of South Dakotans make below a living wage)
☑ï¸Wallet Hub – 11th best run city in America.
☑ï¸Paid of $4mm in bonds EARLY just three months ago.
☑ï¸TechRepublic calls us one of the top 10 cities in the country for entrepreneurs.
BTW, thanks for the tip PTH, we’re sharing as usual to our YouTube followers.