Sioux Falls is a great place to live and raise a family. Our current Councilman has done a great job representing the central district and I wish to continue his tradition of fighting to keep taxes down and representing you.
Keep taxes low
Penny increases in taxes seem like little things now, but when these little increases are added up it can be more than we bargained for. In our current economic times finances are tough for many people, and it would not serve their interests to unfairly burden them by asking for more money, no matter how small it may seem. Low taxes are what has helped Sioux Falls grow, so let’s keep them down where they belong.
• I will work to stop any tax increases. Higher taxes leads to larger government, which needs more taxes to support itself.
• Sioux Falls enjoys a low tax rate, let’s keep it that way.
Be fiscally responsible
The money the city has is not it’s own, it is from us the tax payers. As such it should be spent in the same manner we spend our own income, with thought and foresight. Taxes have been raised to pay for this or that and in the meantime the condition of our roads has deteriorated. Where will the money come from to pay for the repairs? Another increase in taxes is my bet, but I want to address the budget and make adjustments where we can so that taxes will not need to be raised.
• Before raising taxes we need to see where we can save money.
• It’s not the cities money, I will be as economical with taxpayer money as I can.
Events center
It would be a great addition to the city, but we simply cannot afford it. Sioux Falls has grown without a new event center and it will continue to do so because this is a great place to live and work.
Listening to you
Serving on the City Council is a privilege, and it would be my honor to serve. The City Council is there for you, and all the councilors should be available to meet with the public when needed or asked so we may better serve you.
• We need councilors that will not be doing things other than listening to the great people of Sioux Falls.
• Always available to listen to your concerns. I know how frustrating it is trying to communicate with an elected official, only to eventually get a form letter or simply be ignored. I guarantee that will not happen.
If you have any questions about a particular issue I would be very happy to talk with you about your it, so feel free to email me at James_Milne@live.com or call me at 605-553-7102. I promise to get back to you in a timely manner.
He needs an editor too.
He’s also pandering with his stance on the events center. I think most people would love to have a new one, but they don’t want to pay extra for their groceries to get it.
I’m neither promoting or denoting him. I just think it is great that average Joe’s want to run. He will have to defend his own stances.
I have no doubt an editor would be great, but when your budget is nil you have to write your own stuff! Is it pandering if I agree with others? My campaign may not have the polish of others, but I am just a regular guy that doesn’t want to sit on the sidelines pissing and moaning, I want to make a difference.
I applaud you for that James. I actually think the Central District debates (forums) will be the most interesting. I look forward to them.
Being a Kermit lite or JR is not appealing. It will be tough to be against everything Kermit is. Hope it works for you. Don’t think it will for most voters.
PS Ask Theresa how it worked for her and how many votes she got.
James – I’m still open-minded about the whole thing. It’s a long time until the election.
I just think a blanket “no” to a new EC is the wrong answer.
John-
Theresa was running for an ‘at-large’ seat against Vernon, this is just the Central district.
Ghost of Dude- I am against the ec mainly for the way it is being funded and the fact that right now would be one of the worst times to impose more taxes on taxpayers. Sioux Falls has managed to grow in spite of not having a new event center and it will continue to do so. Perhaps if those who stand to have significant financial gain were to contribute the bulk (80% +) of funding I would see it differently.
Lewis- Just proves my point. In general people don’t vote for people who are only against things. People want to be inspired and led. A positive hopeful message. Just as the style didn’t work for Theresa in a city wide election, I don’t believe Kermit can get elected city wide.
Kermet has a “gift” that people in the central district respond to. I am not sure coping his style is an effective way to get elected.
Perhaps if those who stand to have significant financial gain were to contribute the bulk (80% +) of funding I would see it differently.
Then the city and state should probably pony up some money. Building an EC in the right location will spur enough economic activity to significantly increase tax reciepts. Funding through a BBB tax would generate enough revenue to pay for the facility in about the same time it takes to pay a mortgage.
Who do you see as having a significant financial gain from the facility and do you think they have enough money to get it done?
Dude- That’s why I really like what I have been hearing from mike huether. We need an ec but 1/3 to half has to come from corps and private donations. My man mike has to be leading the field in the race for mayor.
Ghost of Dude- I see area businesses, especially the hospitality and food industry benefiting in the short and long term, and housing developers would benefit in the long term as well but not to the extent of the aforementioned industries. Curiously, where do you see as a good location for an ec?
I still have not heard one shred of evidence that we “need” an EC.
Scott- The reason Sioux Falls will eventually need an ec is that in order to grow an ec larger than what we have available would be needed. With larger events more people will be visiting and spending money, resulting in an increase in revenue for local businesses as well as another option for entertainment venues. Some cities fail to plan ahead, and as a result they scramble to find funding for such projects, and in that effort they end up instituting “temporary” taxes that never go away. We need a long term plan that involves cutting costs in other areas without compromising public safety or government services, as well without placing undue burden on taxpayers.
John, your Man Mike needs to go back to what he is good at, scamming poor people with credit cards. Do you truly trust a man who has made fortune from the backs of the poor? I don’t.
Curiously, where do you see as a good location for an ec?
Downtown. It’s the only place that makes real economic sense.
Which of the businesses you mentioned will have the money – even as a group – to put 80% plus of the ~$150 million we’ll need to build the facility? Getting a few corporate sponsors on board is a good idea. The more the better.
But the only way this will get built is if the city uses its power to tax to get it done. The building itself won’t be the big revenue source. It will come from the collateral development, most of which will be businesses that pay a BBB tax, should one be implemented. No group of investors, short of municipal bondholders, will see enough return from this project to make it worth their while – they can’t collect sales taxes. The city, OTOH, will see increased sales tax revenue and increased property tax revenue from the development that would take place around the site. If they can collect enough, they can use it instead of having to increase property or sales taxes in the future for oter projects.
The only businesses I see able to put up that kind of money are banking. Sponsorship like you mentioned is an idea I was thinking of as it seems to have worked well in the past for other ec’s as well as stadiums. I see your point with the tax, but I am leery of using taxes to pay for something because sooner rather than later the city will get used to that income and it will float off to other little pet projects instead of being saved, so when something else comes up that needs financing taxes will be raised again. The development though I wonder about. In some cities the areas stay nice, but in many others the area surrounding goes to pot.
Downtown wouldn’t be a bad location in the effort to revitalize the area.
I see your point with the tax, but I am leery of using taxes to pay for something because sooner rather than later the city will get used to that income and it will float off to other little pet projects instead of being saved, so when something else comes up that needs financing taxes will be raised again.
That’s why we shouldn’t do it with a retail tax. A BBB tax will actually get the people who benefit from the facility to pony up for it while not costing anyone else extra money on their grocery bill.
If you want to see a good example of what an EC can do for a community, look at the Fargodome.
The Fargodome is a completely different situation. They have a “real” college, after all, and the sporting events alone made it a necessity. Their experiences with concerts has been spotty, and many major acts have had their worst grossing shows in that building.
We don’t have the sports situation here. I know that SDSU grads have this pipe dram of having a few basketball games here per year, but they have an unrealistic view of their draw. The so-called pro teams don’t need any more seats. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if two of them aren’t even around by the time the building is completed.
As for concerts – hahahah! I could fill this page with opinions and facts, but everybody still has this dream that their favorite band is going to suddenly appear in town and that 10,000 of their friends will be in the building with them. It’s going to be a lot of fun subsidizing another primarily empty building for the next few decades.
I like going to the Slowdown in Omaha. Beats the fuck out any stupid colossal dome we would build here.
The Fargodome is a completely different situation. They have a “real†college, after all, and the sporting events alone made it a necessity.
Not sure I’d call it a “real” college – not by athletic standards anyway.
If we build an EC geared toward concerts – and not an indoor football field – it will become a popular venue for shows travelling through the area.
I used the fargodome as an example not because of the size or location, but because they’ve seen the economic impact.
Jim’s got my vote. I’ve met him a few times and I admire his passion and vision.
I don’t need an events center as that center already exists. My basement, my family, my Hammond Organ, city parks and doing what is possible to make SF ripe to continue to attract small businesses. Not at all concerned about gambling w/ tax payers money for the benifit of a few narrow minded folks.