By l3wis

9 thoughts on “It’s Yard Sign Season”
  1. I am not sure why you are so against this young lady running for council. She would have no influence on impacting her current role with County while being on the council. If there ever was a conflict she can recuse herself. From what I can tell, this lady has a lot more talent and ideas other than just being able to tell you what is in Shape Places. I strongly recommend voters to look into her talents and reach out to her before you judge on this false conflict of interest allegation.

  2. I support Erin’s agenda 100%. She says she wants to be a bridge between city and county government. That’s awesome. The issue I have is collecting a paycheck from both entities to bridge that gap. Is she telling us she is so talented at bridge building we should have to pay her to do the job? I think the solution is simple, combining county and city administration, this of course will only take place if it is driven by a citizen initiative. While beaurcrats like Erin are well-intentioned, I have found the real change comes from the initiative process, not paying someone to double-dip on the taxpayer dime.

    As for Greg only being Shape Places expert, that is just the tip of the iceberg with him. Come to Forum today and see for yourself.

  3. “combining county and city administration” is an interesting idea. Since it’s located in two counties, would Sioux Falls combine with Minnehaha County or Lincoln County?

  4. Aside from the obvious conflict of interest angle, there is a huge red flag for me. If erpenbach, who embodies everything that is currently wrong with this council, says she will make erin a star, then she definitely is not a person to hold down a chair.

  5. A combination of city and county government sounds good. The county better manages budget and focused on infrastructure. The half billion in city debt funding foolish palaces could be absorbed. The state would accept a merger because it would eliminate city Home Rule Charter. Constitutional due process and democracy would be restored. The county operates the jail and funds social services. Duties the city ignores that are government responsibilities.

  6. She should distance herself from Erpenbach. Aligning herself with the worst councilor would lose the election. People are looking for a dominant council to prevent the mayor from spending with more credit. Erpenbach is one of the mayor’s puppets who we must get out of office and away from any future political posts.

  7. Sioux Falls should definitely be its own county/city governmental unit with the remaining rural areas of Minnehaha County being partitioned into adjoining counties or stand alone as its own county.

    It is time the City of Sioux Falls actually paid for its true contributions to the costs of the criminal justice system in Minnehaha County as a whole given our current tax system and the ability of the City to hide from the current CJ system’s escalating costs.

    In fact, I would like to see the School Board thrown into the mix as well. Though politically, I question if that is doable at all. If teachers are not paid enough, which I agree they are not, then why did we as citizens of a prospering town build a $ 115 million Events Center if education is suffering?

    I realize the 1/2 cent increase in the sales tax in SD, which hopefully will go for teacher pay and not be eventually funneled in other directions, will be enhanced with the enormity of the Events Center sales and events and collateral receipts going forward. This new found reality, however, is an expensive and timely and questionably effective way to make all governmental bodies work in harmony for the greater good and is trickle-down at best.

    Larger cities should not be allowed to hide or be divided into antiquated political divisions or boundaries which are at the detriment to some worthy government bodies and or units while automatically to the benefit of other governmental bodies and or units.

  8. Anyone who follows and attends city government events would see how often recusals happen or should happen.

    Why should we elect someone we know ahead of time would have to NOT show up for a meeting or vote because there would be a confusion or conflict? If there is a potential for a conflict several times a year, the citizens would not be able to be part of any discussion through their elected representative.

    Let’s say there was a vote on a southeast SF TIF request and we knew the council member from the area had a direct business relationship with the requester. The citizens would not be able to have a voice due to the expected recusal.

    Consider:
    * If there was a critical vote on a contentious northwest ward / county issue requiring strong citizen support by Erin.
    * We have annexations taking away taxable county land and putting it in the city, would she have to recuse each time as a lessening of her paycheck from the county is a result?
    * How about the above TIF discussion, it just took away some of her primary employers tax revenue.
    * What about the SF police dropping off the 3:00pm street people for their night in the jail causing the need for a bigger county jail?
    * Drinking in Lyon Park and she needs to park in the county parking lot for here full-time job.
    * What about the tax freeze programs?
    * A possible City-County office building discussion? Would her county office be located in such a building?

    Who would she support? Her main paycheck or the paycheck for her part-time job? Until there is an answer for this potential problem, all should consider it in there voting decision.

    Erin seems like a nice person so this is not to be taken as a dig against her. If Greg, Briggs, Jacob, Manny, Ritch, John, Tammy, Theresa, Pat or anyone else had these issues, we should be asking the same of them.

    Don’t we have enough conflict of interest issues already in 9th & Dakota to add more to the Council at 10th & Dakota?

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