If you are running for mayor or city council for the 2018 Municipal election, you should have your work cut out for you.
There will be 3 main campaign issues that I think will dominate;
• Crime: While crime in Sioux Falls hasn’t gotten out of control and is manageable, the increasing violent crime rate over the past 5 years should concern us. The candidate(s) that come up with a leading solution(s) while making the public still feel safe will garner attention. I have suggested concentrated patrolling, more neighborhood watch programs and educating the public about what to look for when it comes to suspicious activity (drug dealing, domestic violence, etc.) Also an increased social media presence.
• Affordable Housing: It is probably the NUMBER ONE issue affecting Sioux Falls right now, but it is closely tied into with crime. When people don’t have a decent place to live or a decent job to pay for it, it breeds crime. I suggest the next mayor and city council take away focus from big development and TIFS (urban sprawl) and concentrate on the core and proper of Sioux Falls. First off, big development will survive, they have plenty support from private investors and banks. Plus urban sprawl only hurts our infrastructure budget (building more NEW infrastructure means more to take care of). We need to concentrate more on community development loans to private homeowners and landlords of small apartment complexes. Not only can they be helped with NO or LOW interest development loans, there are plenty of Federal grants they can apply for. This of course will take bigger staff to go door to door in these neighborhoods and promote this kind of revitalization. It will also have to come from the real estate and mortgage banking industry willing to invest in first time home buyers and young families to rebuild these older neighborhoods. Another measure tied into this would be passing a city ordinance minimum wage within SF city limit of at least $10 an hour.
• Transparency: This is just a given. We have had one of the most secretive administrations to date. Trust me, Munson and Hanson were not much better, but Huether has taken his dictatorship (home rule charter) to heart. Heck, our local paper had to sue in Supreme Court to get a contract (and they may lose the case). The next council and mayor need to open the books and communication, and it shouldn’t even be a fight, it should just be done. A healthy democracy depends on it.
Sprawl is SUBURBAN at its essence. “Urban sprawl” is an oxymoron. Sorry for the semantics but it matters.
Just not a flamboyant credit card crook who spends public money like it’s casino skim. Not someone with plastic skull cap hair who wears thousand dollar suits. Someone who doesn’t cry and throw 2 year old tantrums. Crime is the problem and he’s the criminal. Compared to Huether, Munson was a saint.
From 80 million to half a billion in debt. Budget sales tax revenue down substantially. City liability lawsuits new and old with millions in settlements and private lawyer compensation. Layoffs for half of employees that are political hires and due to incompetent irresponsible directors. Police and fire compensation correction to prevent mass exodus.
Not me for mayor. How about post mortem Janoct?
Someone should run as the ghost of Janoct. Or ‘The Mayoral Candidate formerly known as Janoct’
“Back to the Basics in 2018″……. Less ribbon cutting, because it’s time to cut to the issues that matter….crime, affordable housing, transparency, and plowing and sweeping our streets once again…..
I would like and vote for a mayor and city council who are first and foremost committed to the people, those living and paying the taxes in this community, not big business or the influx of transient low income people for low paying jobs. I think we need to preserve what we have as a community.
As an example, I was very disappointed in the city council votes regarding rezoning request last week on 85th street. The council’s lack of support for the established tax paying neighborhood of residents was appalling. Again, the support for people who have chosen to live, work, and support our tax base in Sioux Falls should always take precedence. The developer could have easily altered or moved his project to a more appropriate location.
I will not be voting for any on the council who supported the Costello (big business) request. Just for clarification, I do not live in the area of 85th street.
Lastly the focus on urban sprawl is unnecessary. If one invests their life savings in their home and desires a more rural environment, that should be embraced, not discouraged. Jamming people close together, in my opinion, is not healthy or good for a community. Lots of those green spaces, that is best for citizens.
I’m certainly not suggesting we ‘jam’ people together, quite the opposite. I think we need to make a concerted effort as a community to clean up our older neighborhoods and make them desirable again to live in. This doesn’t require any annexation or even zoning changes, just a little elbow grease and some low interest equity loans.
What’s obvious is we need another 4 new councilors. Ones who vote for their constituents and not the mayor. I’m worried there’s not someone who will be a good mayor. Developers don’t want to insert someone. The city is overdrawn therefore no new construction. Anyone with half a brain knows better than to take over Huether’s mess. Someone will get elected but the best he can do is print his business cards and try to keep up the bond payments.
For mayor, recruit an Irishman with some good blarney and the best jig? Rename 9th and Main Tammany Hall. Paint the 200 million in Huether projects green. Free beer on days that end in Y. I’m Irish so I’ll pied pipe the mayor and 4 councilor snakes out of town. There won’t be a potato famine if we make the Pavilion a casino and turn Huether Tennis into a marijuana barn.