Guest Post and Video by Bruce Danielson
Triple Check the Charter has just found a new voice for the separation of power clauses of the Sioux Falls Home Rule Charter. Mayor Paul TenHaken shutdown David Z’s Public Input comments with statements he made violating not only the 1st Amendment but the very essence of our Home Rule Charter, the Separation of Powers. The Mayor of Sioux Falls has very limited powers of moderating the activity of City council meetings.
The mayor has no power over the policies of the chamber,
NO MAYOR CAN ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER CONTROLLING THE CITY COUNCIL OR ITS CHAMBER.
Got that? An executive order is a policy order signed by the mayor to only allow or direct city employees do something. In many instances it might be a CYA or get out of jail free card issued by the mayor to cover a potential wrong doing. An executive order cannot control the independent policy making body of the town, the City Council. Simply said, The mayor was wrong in his abusive statements during the Monday meeting.
The PTH administration has no understanding of the role required by a mayor in governing. He thinks he can update a longstanding Executive Order limiting the use of Sioux Falls governmental resources under his control and take over the City Council?
The issue being discussed was whether an officeholder in the city of Sioux Falls guberment can setup a secret stash of money by squeezing money out of someone wanting a favor from the politician. The mayor has a secret stash of leftover campaign money in operation as a PAC (political action committee). Its secret because he announced recently his donations of money to two of his favorite candidates for the City Council. His golden boys, Selberg and Neitzert, gladly accepted the gold and were anointed his chosen ones. Kind of Biblical isn’t it? Reminds me of the Golden Calf. What was the Golden Calf? The sin of the golden calf is widely regarded as one of the most disgraceful moments in Jewish history and we don’t even have to go to Egypt.
Is this is our Golden Calf moment?