Another Events Center Task Force member, hard at work
This is where the task force really screwed up big time. They just automatically assumed that they could shove their plan down taxpayer’s throats, well thank gawd at least 10 legislators in Pierre had the common sense to tell them NO!
Mayor Dave Munson said he has no backup plan.
“There really isn’t,” he said on the way back to Sioux Falls after testifying for the bill. “There’s no way I could see how you could do the project (without a sales tax).”
BULLSHIT! You could easily do what they do in other communities. Pay for at least 30% through private donations, bond the rest out and pay for it through a BB & B tax. Will it take longer to pay off? Sure, but you keep popping off that this is a facility that will be used for 50 years, so who cares if it takes 50 years to pay for. Do people take out 4 year mortgages on their homes or 30 year mortgages?
I think this is the part of the EC Task Force and some of our city government people (mainly Munson, Brown and Costello) that really chaps my hide. Zero leadership. Any big plan, especially you have spent 16 months and hundreds of thousands of dollars on, should have a plan ‘B’ in place just in case the original idea fails. REAL LEADERS UNDERSTAND THIS. REAL PROGRESSIVES ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AROUND THE NEXT CORNER and REAL FORWARD THINKERS ANTICIPATE SNAGS AND COMPENSATE FOR THEM. None of this was done, and as I predicted at the Council meeting when they approved this failed plan, “You’ll be right back at the beginning because you keep chasing your tails with flawed plans.” Guess what, this ‘HOT HEAD’ was right, again and you were wrong AGAIN! But what do I know, I’m just a blogger.
So how long will we have to wait to hear a backup plan from the Mayoral candidates? I’m waiting Mike, you have my email.
I saw plan A in action a few weeks ago. Woster and Baloun gave a plan A presentation to a large crowd at the Orpheum Theater. Came across like a Abbott and Costello routine, got a few laughs…but the message was clear. These guys had no clue that their plan…their ONLY plan, had no way in hell of jumping thru all the hoops ahead of it. Hoop #1.
FAIL.
I have to admit, I feel bad for Woster and all the time he put into it. There were points in the final TF meetings where you could tell he was skeptical of the funding source, but he never said anything. I wish he would have just proposed a secondary plan. But the rubberstampers only want consensus. I wonder if Dana Dykehouse is going to send another bullying email to Staggers blaming him for the failure?
I thought the Gov was on board for this plan? Why did he send staff to testify against the tax?
Also if I hear one more person say that the Bill was about local control and local options- I am going to puke. I would bet 85% of the state’s population buys at least one item in Sioux Falls each year. That’s taxation with out representation for you tea baggers out there!
I’ll bet that a pretty damned good portion of any potential concert’s audience would come from out of town as well – that is if they can figure out how to get downtown. Most don’t seem to know.
I really want to know who on this task force was the driving force behind the sales tax and shitty location. Such incredible stupidity boggles my mind.
It’s not stupidity, it’s arrogance. They really believed they could sell this to the public. Have you ever heard Terri Ellis Schmidt talk? I’m just saying.
Arrogance is a good word. They think ‘my city’ instead of ‘our city’. Include the citizens with other than a rigged survey and they’d be surprised with support.
92 communities were behind the extra tax. Had Sioux Falls not been the arrogant leader, it could have gone to voters.
Tax revenue is short. Instead of taxing more, collect more with an improved economy. Individual taxes are 43% when you consider sales, real estate, income, luxury, etc.. We’re tapped.
Perhaps, they’ve learned taxes cannot be increased in a down economy.
Revoke Home-Rule, restore constitutional democracy.
When taxes are raised it actually hurts the economy, because that is less going towards the businesses that provide jobs in our community. You think about that $50 million dollars a year being sucked away from local businesses.
When taxes are raised it actually hurts the economy, because that is less going towards the businesses that provide jobs in our community.
Sy’s gonna jump on you for that one.
And I agree, this is a terrible time to raise any kind of tax.
I asked Mike on his Facebook page what his EC plan was, this was his response;
Scott,
Thanks for the note. My original plan is still my plan. I think I have been clear.
The focus of the task force needed to start with listening to the citizens of Sioux Falls. The message is pretty clear. Most folks, and yes, that does include many Seniors in town, are very comfortable with the concept that we need to replace the 50 year old arena.
However, they don’t want an expanded convention center, they don’t want money poured into the old arena, they don’t want Howard Wood destroyed, they don’t want a $33 million football field for high school football games, they don’t want a new track and last but not least, they don’t want another tax added on at a time when many folks are struggling.
If we focus on replacing the old arena, this is very doable and we can make it palatable to the voters. A sensible and viable events center/arena can be built and paid for using naming rights, user fees, suite and seat fees, bonds, bed and booze taxes, etc.
It will take leadership and it will take someone who can communicate the message to the voters. Scott, I am the one candidate that will get it accomplished.
Make it a great day. Mike
It’s true, GoD. Where do they think this extra $50 million is gonna come from? It means thats $50 million dollars less spent on goods and services. They act like this money is gonna come out of taxpayer’s asses. When taaxpayers are being squeezed, they cut back. Duh.
Actually I’m with you on that L3wis, I think in most cases if you overly tax something you will normally see less consumption of whatever you tax, unless it’s a staple.
Like I’ve argued and it looks like Huether & Staggers get, we’ve recently raised our Sales taxes to the second penny. Leave it alone for at least a decade or you will help destroy the low taxes/low cost of doing business reputation that we’ve worked extremely hard to establish and is also something that is setting us apart from our peer group of Cities nationally.
You raise the Lodging tax to 6% and the Entertainment tax to 1.5% and you can cover the $7 million a year in P&I.
No one will care if the tax on their $129 a night room is $9 or it is $15. It will still be less than places like Omaha or Chicago. At the end of a $100 tab at a bar or restaurant, no one will care if the tax is $7 or it is $7.50. The few who do will buy food/booze at the store and hang in the room.
What would be the tipping point would be if we can actually get a Southwest or Frontier in here to get our airfare comparable to flying into Omaha. We’ve been working on that, but maybe the State should step up and help that situation out however they can.
People make travel choices based on two things: Amenities and cost to get there. We are naturally short changed on the former and hamstrung by the latter. Solid, visionary leaderhip will dramatically improve both. People focus on tax rates when they are looking to relocate here, not when they come for a visit.
John:
“I thought the Gov was on board for this plan? Why did he send staff to testify against the tax?”
Not only that, his bro was on the committee that killed it.
I’d say your answer is that Mike has hopes to run for National office and wants to be seen as a “no new taxes” type hawk.
Do you think PR Jodi also gave the EC lobbing advice?
It’s true, GoD. Where do they think this extra $50 million is gonna come from?
I meant you were gonna get jumped on for saying raising taxes hurts the economy while also having called for higher taxes on the wealthy in the past.
Sy’s making sense. Has blog discussion iteration promoted mutual agreement?
The mayor failed because of his narrow selfish mind. His power is absolute in Sioux Falls but means nothing outside the city limits. He’s become known for initiating oppression into the principle city’s government. The state took this opportunity to shown disdain.
Revoke Home-Rule.
raise the bed and booze tax. the twin cities has a much higher tax, and no one worries about that when they go away for the weekend.