Doubt it, probably more pallet humper jobs at Flopdation Park. What I find odd is that in less than two days from the announcement and city councilors have not been told what it is. So much for transparency.
We do have a new innovation director, this time someone with an actual degree.
He aided Kansas City in testing innovative ways to provide public transportation, an effort being undertaken by the city of Sioux Falls. Like the on-demand pilot to be rolled out in Sioux Falls this summer, Grigsby told the Argus Leader Monday in an exclusive interview that during his tenure in Kansas City, he assisted a similar effort there.
“It was a successful failure. We did not get it to work the way we wanted to because of how vast Kansas City is, but we did get a success in our paratransit service,” he said. “Being a part of that success on the paratransit side, I’m hoping to be able to share any kind of insight and the history. Sioux Falls has a much better opportunity to have success with its microtransit service simply because of the size of its footprint.”
Aside from public transit, Grigsby also has history with providing innovative efficiencies in public safety technology and digital equity and inclusion.
i think he’s going to announce the return of garth brooks.
I think it will be the parking ramp
That would be good, but I think the lawsuit has to be settled before anyone can move forward with that disaster.
So the former director kept it in the file cabinet and now the new one likes to come to Sioux Falls for St. Patty’s Day. Are you guys thinking what I am thinking?
And if it’s a tax cut, that’s not a good idea either. Something tells me that having Wall Street lay an egg doesn’t mix good with returning local revenues, if the local municipality wants to stay afloat, that is.
“I always enjoy a ‘successful failure'”…. “I know first hand, that a lot has been learned from my multiple marriages” …. “Because it’s best to just pull out and claim victory” … “There is nothing better then when you are successful at failing”…. “It says a lot about you” … “Because you can’t beat a failure that makes you look good in your own mind”……
Here’s something to ponder. Where will he make this grand announcement? Will he be in his garage or perhaps doing a live feed while driving around making notes of pothole locations? Any other guesses?
So, a city, which has worked over the last few years to destroy paratransit services, is now going to unintentionally improve them?…. #Irony …. #IWillBelieveItWhenISeeIt …. #RedLine
( and Woodstock adds: “RedLine?”…. “That would be a great name for our new bus service” …. “It’s a little Commie, but so is our politburo council, too”…..
Interesting hire for the next ‘Innovation Director’.
Those from the mass-transit-OnDemand Leadership Team who remain in the employ of the City (and who should have been considered as top candidates for the next ‘Innovation Director’) seem incapable or uninterested to take this initiative beyond prioritized sticky notes placed to a flipchart.
Simply developing ‘an app for that’ constitutes success, apparently.
Likely result: Grigsby has been brought in to quietly shuffle into nonexistence the impractical innovation of the former Innovation Director.
And I am OK with that. Limit the losses to the salary and benefits extended to the former Innovation Director over the course of his brief employment.
An innovation director with ID? What happened to the last one? Sounds Trumpian. ‘You’re fired’ works well so the blame is not TenHaken. Turning city bus service into an Uber or LYFT will never work.
kind of wondering when Mayor McChill is gonna let us in on the coronavirus plan. The city can’t afford to cancel any mass crowd events.
Lets be clear shall we, the City cannot provide any proper tax relief other than to NOT take any of the tax dollars from the State itself. The authority to decrease your tax rates on land is preempted by the State itself. You got to understand how property tax works. “WE THE PEOPLE” of South Dakota vote on “tax rates” which are directly assessed on Property (land, real property, tangible property, person); Secondly, the monies are collected by the County Treasurer’s by the county the land resides in by the very person whose name is on the deed itself; and lastly – the County then is ordered/directed by the State to apportion the monies to the School Districts, the County, and to the City or Townships within that County. By State law – the COUNTIES are ‘agents’ of the State, and are tasked with collecting, holding, allocating the dollars, and assessing the value of the land.
The CITY of Sioux Falls (the people) are entitled to its ‘share’ of those dollars as prescribed by law. Yes, there is NO mandate we must take them, but we lose them if we do not take them. The “Mayor” or the “Council” cannot issue you a direct refund, not without the consent and/or direct order by the State of which it issues an order to the County Treasurer to pay out any refunds.
Hence – I do NOT think this big announcement has anything to do with giving you a “refund” on your payment. The only thing the Mayor could possibly do here is announce he has agreed to NOT take any property tax dollars this year, thus allowing the State Legislators to re-apportion those dollars back to the people directly by apportioning them to the School Districts or Counties, or to the people by helping the homeless, the poor, the sick, or the children.
Let’s also be honest – Paul TenHaken has been probally the most ‘transparent’ mayor we have had in quite some time, I do believe he is actually making an EFFORT to address the real issues, talk to the citizens, help the citizens, and to be transparent as much as he can. You got to give him that much respect. Can we do better? Well yes, I am a believer we can always get better, if we were to say otherwise, we be lieing to our selves.
As for the PARKING RAMP – that is in fact on target to open sometime in April. And this could be the big announcement we may hear tomorrow, perhaps its on pace to open sooner than later, perhaps the announcement is to provide the PEOPLE a statement of fact on the progress being made on the Ramp, the lawsuit, perhaps a settlement reached, who knows..This would be excellent news in itself.
Or lastly – the big announcement could very well be, the Mayor reached a settlement, an agreement to repair the siding on the FIRST PREMIER CENTER, which would be excellent news as well.
But in reality, maybe I will get my wish, and the Mayor has some big news on how to Save the Sioux Falls Arena, maybe cut our sales tax rate, or yes – we gonna spend more money on Roads.
Come on – lets be respectful. The MAYOR is human, he is like you and me, we make mistakes, we try to make as many people as happy as possible, we try to do our best. Give the Mayor a break – I truly believe he is the most honest, sincere, transparent Mayor we have had since the honorable Jack White.
Whatever the big announcement may be, I am sure it will be huge enough to call a special public session. Anything the MAYOR has to say is huge, let lone anything ‘we’ do as a city is huge.
We got to move past the insults, personal attacks, and emotional talking points. The only way to move this city forward in a positive manner is to RESPECTIVELY confront each other, our City Councilors, the Mayor, the City Directors, Public Officials, not by attacking each other, but thru logical, respectful, and sincere discussion.
This is an election year, I get it, it has everyone out of sorts, standing on their toes, but lets calm down, take a breath, and give respect where respect is due.
I am willing to listen, discuss, debate, and give the Mayor the respect he rightfully deserves as he is forced to talk to many many people thru out a day, month, a year. He has a divided Council split evenly across the isle, he has City Employees, Officers, Directors to keep happy, he has the PEOPLE to keep happy, he has to balance out the Business side of life vs Private side of life.
Whatever the big news is, I am sure its big…
My Sincere Thoughts,
Mike Zitterich
Sioux Falls
N.W District
This is probably a non-political announcement about a new business coming to town or some entertainment act that wanted to use the mayor’s office as a promotional vehicle.
The likelihood that the mayor is going to forgo the annual inflationary increase in property tax income is low. The city’s cost of providing services increases each year due to wage increases and increased equipment/supplies/services costs they pay. Without authorizing an increase in collected property tax revenue, the city would have to lay off staff or make other cuts to make budget.
For those that are serious about cutting property taxes, perhaps they could start by telling us what city services they are hoping to cut back on to pay for the tax cut.
In response to Drinking Coffee,
You are most likely correct in what you say and I 100% agree with you. Any announcement by the mayor is big news, and its mostly likely none of the issues above.
We both agree on the property tax relief. But as a proponent of cutting the sales and property tax rates – I have laid out items that could be done with with, cut, or temporarily cut in the short term of 2 years.
First we have to agree, our sales tax increases every year, we have created surpluses every year since 2010. With the likely hood of our populating continueing to grow, the avg tax payer tpays $675 per year in sales tax, we can afford to cut the tax rate somewhat. WE can control that ourselves.
I have called on to cut the sales rate to 1.75% or simply expire the 2nd Penny for 2 years over a 8 year period rewarding the citizens. This does NOT hurt the city, as it does NOT effect wages, nor basic government. It effects only the investment in New Roads, New Infrastructure, Purchasing Land, or Purchasing Equipment or Other capital assets.
We can do this, for a term of 2 years, thus engaging in prudent discussions, dialogue, and forming a much better plan forward.
We can at anytime choose NOT to take the propety tax increase in funds, as well, and it will not hurt us one bit. This will allow those FUNDs to get allocated back to the people directly by the State/Counties in lobbying to help the poor, the sick, the homeless, the children, the school districts.
We DO NTO need to give out large raises every year, we do NOT need to hire new employees every year, adn we do NOT need to keep adding Police every year.
there are services we can go without, but better long term planning must be effective down the road.
Keep in mind – many of our Government Services are NOT paid for nor supported by Sales or Property Tax. They are supported thru Misc-Excises, Imposts, and Duties. Yes – I am discussing our Enterprise Funds, Entertainment Facilities, the land Fill, etc-etc. They take NOT one dime from Sales Tax, nor one dime from Property Tax.
So you asked waht ‘services’ I can list I can go without if we lobby to ‘expire’ the 2nd Penny for 2 years? I would start with NEW investments in Land, Buildings, New Roads, Infrastructure, and Equipment. 2 years is NOT a huge concern, and if we did this – it would open more more professional dialogue between the Mayor vs City Council, the City Council vs the People. We simply have to many needs and wants short term. Nothing is so great, that it cant wait 2-5 years. Better planning, budgeting, and discussion is a must.
I do not know whom you are, cause you used a ‘fake name’ but you and I do agree on property tax dollars, and I feel I am just one person who provide you a list of items I would go without for 2 years just to expire the 2nd Penny for a term of 2 years. If it promotes better dialogue, better planning, better investments down the road, what can go wrong?
Most people do NOT understand city finances, i am learning more and more every day. Because of that, I know what taxes pay this, what taxes pay that, and what taxes can all likelyhood be expired.
Yes – we need to build new roads in the future, but expiring the 2nd Penny does NOT hurt that, it simply delays it for 1, 2 years terms. Allows us to better plan, discuss, and budget.
the 1st Penny provides for BASIC government, and part of that is to Maintain, Repair, and Fix Old Roads. That 1st penny also provides much of the city wages as well. Then you have the Misc-Excises, Imposts, and Duties that fund the the Enterprise Funds which are self sustainable.
My thoughts…
Mike Zitterich
Sioux Falls,
N W District
I will give you a short response, if we were not Rowling our millions in mortgage payments each year and maintenance for play palaces and failed projects we could probably reduce taxes in SF by 30%, so don’t give me this city services crap
Not sure about 30%. But we could lower our direct taxes such a sales tax on property. I got to defend the city here – the debt is all paid for. We have enough in assets to ensure the payment in due time. We own $2 billion in net assets after all expenses, liabilities,debts,future obligations are paid. The Enterprise Funds such as the Parking Ramp are all self sustainable carpeting huge profits and cash flow to pay for themselves let alone invest back in them. We can eliminate the 2nd Penny ($65,000,000 per year) for 2 years and be ok.
Really boring discussion. I’ve come to expect much more from a blog of this value. Maybe Woodstock could add more than just his one liners. He doesn’t seem to stand a chance against the all encompassing wisdom of Mike Z.
“Did someone say my name?”…. “Anyhow, with the virus and a rollercoaster Stockmarket, only an idiot would suggest a governmental entity, which has no monetary policy, should offer tax relief right now”…. “Unless things get better soon, this local and recent positive cash flow will be gone soon”…..
Paul Ten Haken and Tom Doupal (commissioner, summit league tournament): MASSIVE FAIL
Texas cancels South By Southwest…..
BOSTON cancels St. Patrick’s Day Parade…….
and on and on.
BUT, Sioux Falls goes ahead with the summit league tournament.
And then, conveniently, on the last day of the tournament announces there are confirmed cases of Covid-19 in FIVE South Dakota counties with one death.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION MUST HAVE JUST BEEN DISCOVERED ON TUESDAY!!! Right!?
Kristi Noem, Paul Ten Haken, Jill Franken (Director of SF Public Health) IF THIS IS THE WAY YOU WANT TO GAIN THE PUBLIC’S TRUST IN A CRISIS SITUATION, THEN WE ARE ALL IN TROUBLE!!
NOT cancelling the summit league tournament…..OR at the very least, holding the tournament WITHOUT spectators.
Could it be ALL ABOUT MONEY vs. PUBLIC SAFETY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, to answer your question, Republicans don’t believe in science, but they do believe in Benjamins.
The mayor wants to talk about ‘chicken’ on the very same day the World Health Organization has issued a global pandemic.
Locally, it is announced today that two SD school districts are closed, local nursing homes are banning ALL visitors, the Governor is telling SD residents who are elderly with underlying medical conditions to stay home.
And, even the SF St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been cancelled.
AND, our esteemed Mayor wants to talk about Chick-fil-A!!!!
Talk about understanding priorities!!!
the summit league tourney is canceled only if kelby wants it canceled.
That’s because the place is owned by a bunch of right-winger back to gods.
Zitterich’s manifesto-length comments haven’t aged well, given that the big announcement was a shitty fast food chain:
“Whatever the big announcement may be, I am sure it will be huge enough to call a special public session. Anything the MAYOR has to say is huge, let lone anything ‘we’ do as a city is huge.”
Our mayor lives in a social media world. A world where you can’t get a virus, but your computer might.
Why are we shocked that a mayor, who won’t go to a PRIDE event, is excited about Chick-fil-A coming to town?
Something tells me that Cruisenberry never got so excited about McDonalds coming to Sioux Falls; but unfortunately, these are the times we live in, where a mayor lives in social media self-denial, while the market tanks and a virus spreads everywhere as we await the State AA’s crowded presence in our fine town.
( and Woodstock adds: “Apparently, our mayor only likes chicks”…. (“Boy, I wish Bimbo’s hamburgers would make a comeback, that’s all I know”…))
Come on, why all the insults? Have we sunk to a new level, how are we suppose to get anything accomplished when people cant even respect the very people they are trying to debate, discuss, concur with.
I may create long posts, but most of what I speak on is informational, respectful, and thoughtful. Not one time have I called anyone a name, used an insult, nor personally attacked anyone. Maybe you could take my lead, if you want stuff done, change the point of order of how you present it.
I am about as conservative as they come, most likely so conservative in my traditions, I call for 75% of the Federal Government to be shutdown.
Whether you like the mayor or you hate the mayor, or you disagree with half the Council, or you agree with them, at the end of the day, ‘we’ need to create positive discussion, dialogue, and concur with each other the best we can. And as I read posts by people, and see a ton of insults and name calling, I tend to tune them out.
I like to read some of the articles on this page, I have had a few published myself, I like to debate both sides of every issue, cause sometimes, just sometimes ‘we’ my find something in common.
Now, lets agree to be civil, and back off the name calling and insults.
Thank You,
Mike Zitterich
Sioux Falls
N.W District
“If we shutdown 75% of the federal government, then how will the conservatives in Pierre be able to balance our state budget?”…. “And as far as the ‘insults,’ well, have you sent your thoughts on that to Trump, yet?”…
I don’t care what anyone says Chick Fil A is great, I love their food. I can’t wait till we get a PF Changs here, it’s the little things in life. I guess I know why my waistline has expanded over the years.
While the Coronvirus is not something to be taken lightly, I think we are making it bigger than it needs to and all thats going to happen is a lot of people are going to get hurt. If I am wrong I will own it and eat crow but, the fear mongering is going to hurt people and it’s NOT going to hurt the Jeff Bezo’s of the world, it’s going to ruin small businesses who run on tight margins. I am already hearing about the numerous downtown businesses that are going to be hurt due to all the food they ordered in anticipation the St Paddys day parade. I am not saying it was not the right call but, IF this turns out to be nothing more than Flu like #s, we will have some pretty hard hit people and it will be the little guy who pays the big price. You can see how the market is caving and all thats going to happen is the guys with the cash are going to swop in and buy up stuff at half price and when this panic ends and the stocks go back up, they will make a killing, This happens everytime there is a downturn.
I have read so many articles on so many sites that contradict each other, Left, Right, Middle, middle of nowhere it’s baffling and the Medias’ inability to tell the truth over the years is contributing to a lot of what is going on. This outbreak is also a good lesson for us to stop depending on 3rd world countries to manufacture all our stuff. If China were to shut down we would have nothing coming in and you would see real panic (toilet paper run is an example). Upwards of 80%+ of critical medicine is manufactured overseas, this is a HORRIBLE idea to allow to happen and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The people in Charge both Democrats and Republicans have put us in this position in the 30+ years and MANY have had an opportunity to remove our reliance on China but, none have done it. I just hope we have enough sense to bring stuff back to the US and WE need to support businesses who do this, even if it costs a little more.
German Chancellor Merkel has told her people that eventually 70% of the German population will be infected with this virus. If you apply this fact globally, then that means 224 million Americans.
The death rate for COVID-19 is about 2.5%, which is 25 times the normal annual flu death rate. 224 million times .025 means potentially 5.6 million deaths in this country alone. Most of these deaths will be among the elderly and especially elderly males. This is not something to take lightly.
My greatest fear is that this virus will subside this summer only to return in the fall/winter with a vengeance just as Trump has been re-elected due to Biden’s poor debate performances during the campaign and Trump’s ability to use the virus scare as a hoax along with “Russia, Russia, Russia,” Mueller, and the Impeachment; and where he then invokes emergency powers under Article I with the help of the virus and new found confidence by him, and his fellow Republicans, due to their re-elections.
Like Michael Moore said in 2016: “Trump will be the last American president.” Let’s hope and pray that Michael is wrong on this one, however.
VSG – Leave it to you to get your TDS thoughts into a Virus discussion. I swear you folks who dislike him cannot focus on anything more than him. Dreading up fears that he is not going to leave office, this is just fear mongering and conjecture and just stupid. You folks have been wrong on him all day long and the list is so long it would take days to post. Lets move off it for a bit and ask ourselves how did we even get here and NO its not Trumps fault, he has been in office for 3 years and our reliance on China, Mexico, etc have been going on for the last 30 years.
I would not take anything Merkel says for fact and only time will tell what really happens with COVID-19. What we should be focusing on, is getting OUR $hit out of China and start being more self reliant. The last 30 years of Ds and Rs have done NOTHING to address that, which is just a plain fact. Get off your Partisan Trump sucks high horse and ask yourself why folks like your great savior Obama did nothing about this, or Clinton, etc. Same reason Bush and Bush didn’t, the game is rigged and they don’t want it to change. Say what you want about Trump is the ONLY politician I have seen to go after China and how reliance on them. This outbreak, while horrible, is a valuable lesson and we should make changes as a country to bring stuff back here. Now take your TDS hat for a moment and at least give the man a chance to do something and he HAS been trying to get the China handcuff removed and he is right to do it. You have to admit even a broken clock is right twice a day.
If this virus plays out the way you say it will and it could, we are going to see we are unprepared for it because all our supplies, medication, and everyday items are manufactured overseas and mainly in China. This did NOT happen overnight and there is plenty blame to go around but, its NOT Trumps fault, this is the hand he was dealt
I don’t belong to either party and I’m no fan of pretty much all politicians. But I can’t give any credence to the ball washers who say things like this is everybody’s fault BUT Trump. Give me a break. That’s as insane as those on the other side saying he’s the only cause of anything that goes wrong.
the fact is, corporate america doesn’t give two shits about anything other than money and if they can make more money by propping up the communists, they will do just that. they will have learned nothing from this.
CH, what you don’t understand is that COVID-19 is, and will be, worse in America because of Trumps initial denial and fear for the economy and his potential re-election concerns, than the virus’s threat.
As far as China and trade, well, that’s a debate for an other day, and actually you and I probably agree a
lot on trade polices and how both the Ds and Rs are to blame for some of our problems.
If what you claim in your final paragraph is true, however, then why isn’t Trump mentioning this? Well, I’ll tell you why, because he doesn’t want to deal with this crisis. He just wants his 29000 DOW back and his attitude in his address last night completely demonstrated his lack of interest or sincerity with this virus issue and its solvency.