First, let’s go with Noem’s idiotic statement of the week;
“I was on a call with the White House today with all of the governors talking about the specifics of this package and I was shocked by how much doesn’t go into infrastructure,” Noem said. “It goes into research and development. It goes into housing and pipes and different initiatives, green energy. And it really is not an honest conversation we’re having about what this proposal is.”
In Noem’s mind, she thinks infrastructure is corporate welfare to Canadian oil companies or spending Covid relief money on go kart tracks, hunting lodges and developer bailouts. Her statement kind of reminds me of this clown from Alaska who said, “The Internet is a series of tubes,†the late Sen. Ted Stevens infamously remarked in a 2006 speech on net neutrality. Even Transportation Secretary Pete Beuttigieg made fun of her on the Sunday political shows saying that ‘Yes Governor Noem, pipes are infrastructure.’
MAYOR TENHAKEN TELLS US HIS MENTOR WAS JOEL DYKSTRA
Trust me when I heard Paul say this last week, I literally fell out of my chair laughing;
When Dykstra first met TenHaken, he was starting his business ‘Click Rain’ and became the Mayor’s first client. At the time, Dykstra was running for U.S. Senate against then South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson. While the political backgrounds have been prevalent between the two, both say their conversations revolve around life.
After I caught my breath I soon realized that it explained not only Paul’s leadership(?) style but his relationship with the SD GOP and developers in town. As many may or may not know, Dykstra was a frequent target of the blog when he was running against Tim Johnson and got his butt whooped. Joel often appeared in my toons with a bag over his head like the unknown comic, because I called him the unknown candidate.
There was also a rumor swirling around City Hall that Mayor TenHaken was out of the office last week with little explanation. I agree the mayor deserves personal time off, but strangely his Chief of Staff was also gone. Not sure if they took a family vacation together, but my guess is the trip was political in nature. Wonder who was footing the bill this time?
If the trip was political in nature, that should be disclosed to taxpayers. Of course the Hatefest on transparency is alive and well at City Hall, so we may never know.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Believe it or not, I couldn’t really find anything in the agenda that sparked my interest except item #66;
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN FEDERAL AID BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATION RESOLUTION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE W. 49TH ST. BRIDGE OVER THE BIG SIOUX RIVER.
Some have questioned if the city can receive this money, and the answer is yes since the bridge crosses a federally mandated waterway (Corp of Engineers manages the Big Sioux River).
In the Planning Meeting it seems the old track on the School for the Deaf land has found an occupant. Item 2I will provide space for the new Children’s Inn Facility. Surprised it was on the consent agenda. I have heard from people in the neighborhood they have concerns. The item can be pulled if people want to comment.
If pipes are not infrastructure, then what is the Keystone Pipeline project? Or, when the governor made reference to housing and pipes, did she mean it in a plumbing sense? But if she did, then what does plumbing have in common with green energy unless she is referring to the rush of energy that comes from old busted copper piping, which has greened over time? Plus, new pipes in Flint are definitely infrastructure and maybe the homes there should be green, too.
There have been times, however, when I have sadly spent continuous and addictive hours on YouTube. So, the late Sen. Ted Stevens might have been right after all. Especially, if you are a fan of ‘Bubbles’.
Governor Noem points her finger and says the infrastructure plan is a waste of tax dollars while her other hand is behind her back, palm up, and asks where is SD’s AMTRAK money.
At least we won’t have to buy the governor a new plane – she can take the train.
Bubbles is my hero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf45Sxlg7Lk
Excellent! I still say that Bubbles is the love child of a once SD politician.
Trains are so 19th century, however, but leave it to SD to be deprived of even that convenience.
Maybe Sanford could donate a chunk for a special passenger line from Mpls. to Rapid City to encourage foreign travel to Mt. Rushmore and the Hills in general. They could call it the Sanford Express, too, which then offers free cellular service while on the train, if you know what I mean.
Transgender, Trains, and Pipes. Ho Hum!
Why do people hate trains?
I love trains, I love going camping in Garretson, where I can pitch my tent in the city park, right next to the train tracks, listening for, and watching as the speeding trains come passing thru. Very relaxing.
Growing up, we built a hell of a model train track system in our living room that stretched from padio doors, to the kitchen in a former apartment we resided in – from mountains, rivers, miniature size towns, to roads, our little train system was awesome.
How many of you still have fun building ‘train systems’ in your home?
Seems like would be a worthwhile investment during your ‘so called fabricated pandemic’
I love it when I can hear the trains pass thru Sioux Falls at night, during the day, and I especially love watching the trains come thru and cross our city streets near downtown. Even if I have to wait 10 minutes or more to watch them, I love them.
Another thing I love to do, waking up at 4 AM each morning watching the huge U.P.S and FED EX planes come in to Sioux Falls. Those suckers are huge, and they appear to be coming in @ 5 mph they are so huge.
I used to do a Argus Leader paper route a few years ago out in the country, helping out, and I use to have fun watching for Planes and Trains in the early mornings.
Why would anyone hate Trains? I miss the old “hotel train” that once sat along I-29 on West 12th Street.
– Mike Zitterich
trains will bring both east and west coast liberals to south dakota. i can see how south dakota is against trains.
“Did someone say: ‘….old “hotel train”?’….”
https://www.greetingsfromsiouxfalls.com/traintel
And “Those suckers” are huge.
Say, speaking of passenger trains, when are we ever going to get those high speed trains that are going to go through Brandon, that Mayor Huether once promised?
( and Woodstock adds: “High speed trains my ass”…. “That was just another Dillard’s or Trader Joe’s promise with Chick-fil-A being the newest one”….. (…”And if that Chick-fil-A isn’t up and running by next fall, then I say the drafting of impeachment articles is in order, that’s what I say”…))
2020 SALES TAX keeps pace with the prior year 2019 SALES TAX figures, I would say we have a pretty decent city government, let alone City Council, and a great Mayor.
YEAR…….SALES TAX
2020……..$134,000,000
2019……..$134,000,000
2018……..$126,000,000
2017……..$120,000,000
2016……..$118,000,000
While the Sales Tax stayed flat, we came out ok, but what we lost was the ‘annual gains’ due to population growth. The $3,500,000 new tax base, so if not for the closing of businesses, covid regulations, yet alone the pandemic, we probally would have increased our sales tax even more.