2024

UPDATED: Legislative Updates with Cathy

l3wis February 5, 2024 3Comments

This very important, helpful bill is up early Thursday), 7:45am (6:45 Mt).

   HB1223 would allow a mom(or a dad with custody) to get childcare assistance without having to cooperate with child support enforcement.

   This applies after parents split up. Relationships can be messy. There could be good reasons for not involving child support.

   The main point is: If we want the custodial parent to have the opportunity for employment, she’s going to need childcare. House Health & Human Services committee. Urge these rep’s to Support HB1223: Gary.Cammack@sdlegislature.gov ;  Fred.Deutsch@sdlegislature.gov; Joe.Donnell@sdlegislature.gov; Erin.Healy@sdlegislature.gov; Mellissa.Heermann@sdlegislature.gov; Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov; David.Kull@sdlegislature.gov; Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov; Brian.Mulder@sdlegislature.gov; Kameron.Nelson@sdlegislature.gov; Taylor.Rehfeldt@sdlegislature.gov; Brandei.Schaefbauer@sdlegislature.gov; Mike.Weisgram@sdlegislature.gov ,

Reminder:

— HB1238 would let kids from households over the reduced-price meal cut off get to eat school meals at the reduced price. (family income 185-209% of poverty level). House Education tomorrow-Wednesday 7:45am(6:45 Mt). Ask these rep’s to Support this helpful bill: Amber.Arlint@sdlegislature.gov , Byron.Callies@sdlegislature.gov , Roger.DeGroot@sdlegislature.gov , Fred.Deutsch@sdlegislature.gov , Eric.Emery@sdlegislature.gov ,  Mellissa.Heermann@sdlegislature.gov ,  Phil.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov ,Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov , Brian.Mulder@sdlegislature.gov , Scott.Odenbach@sdlegislature.gov ,  Tim.Reisch@sdlegislature.gov , Stephanie.Sauder@sdlegislature.gov , Bethany.Soye@sdlegislature.gov , Mike.Stevens@sdlegislature.gov , Tyler.Tordsen@sdlegislature.gov ,

HB1238.

Updates

—   Sad news. SB156 failed.( free tuition for tribal members at state schools)

—   Good news. SJR506 failed (7-0) (crazy ideas re guns)

More bills on hot topics will be up next week. The legislature does not meet this Friday.

Thanks for being a voice for people who need our voices.

________________________________________

Since Cory decided to fly the coop (what’s going on with that fella anyhoos?) I decided to start posting Cathy’s Legislative updates.

Advocates,

Maybe you can get a note off on these in time.

—   SB156, free tuition for tribal members at state schools, will be up in Senate Education tomorrow(Tue) 7:45am(6:45 Mt). Sorry for the short notice. Ask these senators to Support this helpful bill: Shawn.bordeaux@sdlegislature.gov, Sydney.Davis@sdlegislature.gov, steve.kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov,  Liz.Larson@sdlegislature.gov,  Tom.Pischke@sdlegislature.gov ,  Tim.Reed@sdlegislature.gov , kyle.schoenfish@sdlegislature.gov,

— HB1238 would let kids from households over the reduced-price meal cut off get to eat school meals at the reduced price. (family income 185-209% of poverty level). House Education Wednesday 7:45am(6:45 Mt). Ask these rep’s to Support this helpful bill: 

Amber.Arlint@sdlegislature.gov , Byron.Callies@sdlegislature.gov , Roger.DeGroot@sdlegislature.gov , Fred.Deutsch@sdlegislature.gov , Eric.Emery@sdlegislature.gov ,  Mellissa.Heermann@sdlegislature.gov ,  Phil.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov ,Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov , Brian.Mulder@sdlegislature.gov , Scott.Odenbach@sdlegislature.gov ,  Tim.Reisch@sdlegislature.gov , Stephanie.Sauder@sdlegislature.gov , Bethany.Soye@sdlegislature.gov , Mike.Stevens@sdlegislature.gov , Tyler.Tordsen@sdlegislature.gov ,

—  SJR506 has been mentioned before, so here’s where it is. (As I read it: Tax off guns and ammo. Violent people, people threatening violence, etc. may keep the guns until the conviction. Then only the one gun involved would be taken away.) It is up in Senate Judiciary tomorrow(Tue) 7:45am(6:45 Mt). Sorry for the short notice. Ask these senators to Oppose : Helene.Duhamel@sdlegislature.gov ;  Michael.Rohl@sdlegislature.gov ; David.Wheeler@sdlegislature.gov; Brent.Hoffman@sdlegislature.gov; Jim.Stalzer@sdlegislature.gov; Jim.Mehlhaff@sdlegislature.gov, Joshua.Klumb@sdlegislature.gov,

— Updates today:

? SB119 Passed the Senate today(29-3), tribal ID for voter registration. So that’s good. (But it now has an amendment so that it won’t start until Jan.1, 2025. The sponsor proposed it, so I guess we can’t complain. Maybe he had to in order to get it passed.) Now we want the House to pass it. I’m guessing it will go to House State Affairs.

?? SJR510, on food tax, was voted down(3-27) on the Senate floor today. Very disappointing.

— If you are wondering, as we are, SJR501 (Medicaid work requirement ??) and HB1184 (Summer EBT ?) are not up this week. The soonest they will be up is next Monday.

Mayor TenHaken presents half-baked plan on Riverline District

l3wis February 5, 2024 13Comments

Mayor TenHaken admitted during the presentation that their really is no plan, except maybe a new convention center and rec center.

He also made this announcement at a public building and chaired the presser, there was NO public notice on the city website for this meeting. While no official action took place, you could technically call it just a presser, but with city money and property being involved, there should have been a public notice.

Like most pie in the sky ideas from this mayor, they lack details and transparency which means they probably won’t make the finish line. The ‘Vision’ that was presented today was sold to the listening public (and kids bussed in from daycare) on the premise we are behind on indoor rec space. While Paul is correct, the city lacks PUBLIC indoor rec space, it certainly probably has more private indoor rec space then any city our size in the country. As Neitzert pointed out there is a gym on every corner. Not to mention every school in this city has tons of indoor rec space.

Maybe the city needs to build a municipal casino to compete with all the video lottery casinos?

While I agree the Convention Center should be downtown, I think the city should move to make the actual convention business private and get out of investing public money in it. (we had an opportunity with the new EC to do this, but when you have a credit card salesman running the town, this is what you get, lost opportunity).

After watching this lackluster presser that reminded me more of an episode of Mr. Rogers neighborhood, I have come to the conclusion that not much is going to happen anytime soon at the Riverline District.

Remember Phillips to the Falls? The city sat on that property, collecting NO taxes for 10 years, then turned around and handed it over to a developer with a TIF to boot.

Wouldn’t $1 Million in Code Enforcement be more worthwhile?

l3wis February 4, 2024 1Comments

Chicken Little from the finance department loves to tell us how the sky is falling when it comes to raising property taxes and keeping the food tax. The administration hens like to say that the city doesn’t have the resources to help with CLEAN and SAFE housing, food insecurity or child care, but lookie here, almost $1 million towards ‘economic development’ and a reserve fund of almost $80 million last year.

And wait until the announcement on the Riverline tomorrow and the Parks Bonds (that are expected to be between $40-$80 million, not including interest).

City Salaries for 2024

l3wis January 31, 2024 9Comments

Let’s just say, it’s gross. While the minions got crumbs thrown at them, the managers cashed in. The mayor’s office which lists 4 full-time employees make a combined SALARY (not benefits) of almost $500K. Do the math. Interestingly enough, his receptionist is NOT listed. In fact, I can’t find her on the report. Rumors are she left before the first of the year.

Maybe another Poops casualty? Maybe she saw thru the BS and said, F’ck it!

The Medical Director for the city (even though many cities don’t have medical directors) makes close to $300K a year (a $19K raise from 2023). I will say that Falls Community Health is an invaluable asset, and her salary is probably covered by Federal Assistance. I have changed my views on this. First off, I have heard multiple compliments about the director’s compassion and patient care. I have also heard that many Medicaid recipients are shamed into going to FCH because the normal medical facilities put up roadblocks. As a person who has benefitted from the ACA as self-employed person, I think it is ludicrous that health care facilities discriminate against these people, and I commend her for helping these folks, while making good dough

While we can all bitch about government assisted healthcare in this country, for many, it is the only option.

Her salary is (kinda) justified.

You can read all the juicy stuff here;

2024 Salaries Document

2023 Salaries Document

Is the Sioux Falls code enforcement office even recording complaints?

l3wis January 31, 2024 1Comments

I had several phone conversations today about the property by my home that is in need of repair.

Let’s make something clear, I don’t want any resident in Sioux Falls to have to hire a lawyer and go to court over to many weeds. I don’t want the city to hire multiple outside counselors to go after these people. What I want is the city to sit down with the offending property owners and come up with a amicable solution.

This is NOT hard.

I struggle with this, because I am a strong believer of property rights, and believe the government can’t tell you what to do with your property. But when your property affects the value and public safety of your neighborhood, government must act.

I have been hearing from advocates, city officials and residents that when they call to file a complaint, nothing happens. NOTHING!

This tells me the office in charge of taking the complaints, either by phone or email, are not recording those complaints, or they are, and the code enforcement officers are just not bothering to follow up.

I was told today the city only has 4 full-time code enforcement officers, not sure if that is true, but for a city this size, that is ridiculous.

I’m sorry, but we have bigger fish to fry then bulldozing mansions, we need to bulldoze DUMPS!