When God was handing out brains . . .
l3wis 
2019
Sioux Falls needs Independent TIF study BEFORE moving forward with anymore massive TIFs
With the latest news that another developer is trying to roll the city with a massive TIF, now is the time for a comprehensive TIF study. But this study can’t come from the city or from private developers. The study needs to be conducted by one of our Public Universities as a student research project. Anything the city or a private developer will produce will be fudged. Remember the siding report that mysteriously disappeared? Or the 2nd one that was edited by public works?
The study needs to determine if there has been an actual economic impact in job growth, personal wealth, ect. Over the past decade (especially since the 2008 recession) while development growth has been record breaking, we also have to realize that crime has increased, taxes and fees have gone up at record rates, housing has gotten more expensive, wages have remained stagnant and food banks and kitchens are expanding more and more.
If TIFs have helped anybody, it has certainly been the developers bottom line, because like Reaganomics it certainly hasn’t trickled down to shrinking middle class.
We need to see a study and it needs to be independent.
Sioux Falls Planning Department Director Mike Cooper says commissioners can vote NO
Last week when Director Cooper was addressing Dem Forum I asked him a simple question, “Can commissioners vote NO on an item the Planning Department recommends approval of?”
He said ‘YES’ and quickly clarified they are ‘volunteers’.
I have often argued whether or not board members are paid or volunteer doesn’t matter. You still have to understand your duties affect many people and you still have to approach the position with integrity. In other words your decisions matter.
I asked the question because I often hear members of the commission (past and present) say they HAVE TO vote to approve something that is recommended. By law, they don’t have to. So the next time a commission member tells you that from the dais, remind them that they have the power and legal right to vote against a recommendation or as Cooper said to me, they can also amend it.
We wonder why we rank so high in Government corruption in South Dakota
Because 40 years of one party rule has shredded the rules for that party. So a Republican AG says that a city ran by a (partisan) Republican Mayor with a Republican President visiting could legally donate security detail to a Republican Governor Candidate’s campaign because they were protecting a Republican President (who just happened to be in town for a PRIVATE fundraiser for a fellow Republican).
Bend over South Dakota, it’s gonna be a long four years.
Click to enlarge the hypocrisy
UPDATE: Is Sioux Steel Development looking for a ‘Massive’ Record Breaking TIF?
UPDATE: Big Thanks to Snevelicious for following up on this story!
So this is taking place next Thursday, April 11 (City Council Meeting Calendar)
4 PM Architecture Ideas and Presentations
Held at the receiving building of Sioux Steel Company, 196 1/2 E. 6th St.
Please park on the west side of the Sioux Steel Building or in The Market
5 PM Heavy appetizers and drinks at The Market, 196 E. 6th St
The Sioux Steel Development folks have already mentioned they want to build a 900 stall parking ramp (or around that size) they have also mentioned using TIF. What they haven’t said is how much. I believe the largest TIF ever given out in Sioux Falls was for the Sanford Sports Complex (I can’t remember the actual dollar amount, but I think it was $9 million and I believe 20 years). The rumor going around is that the Sioux Steel will be asking for a TIF in the amount to cover the construction costs of the parking ramp a number that could range between $20-30 Million dollars. The largest TIF ever given out in the history of the city. It also seems the event next week is away to smooze the city council into this.
Some would look at this as an ‘opportunity’ for the city to get out of paying for a parking ramp like we did Downtown already, but as I look at it, we shouldn’t be contributing anything. TIFs are the largest form of corporate welfare. We should be focusing tax incentives on rebuilding our neighborhoods.
Oh, but it gets even better. Another developer is rumored to be offering the city to buy some of the RR redevelopment land. He said he doesn’t want any TIFs or tax reductions, but he is only willing to pay HALF of the appraised value. They always have to have something. This developer has already raked the city over the coals for other DT developments along the river greenway.
I think it is ironic that all these FREE market, ant-socialist Republican developers in town are the biggest socialists of them all. Maybe we should rename the area ‘Karl Marx Greenway’.