South DaCola

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Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax

Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax Media Munson SF City Council Taxes Term Limits

Argus columnist KINDA endorses a sales tax decrease?

l3wis 0Comments

Matt Okerlund wrote a great column on Sunday about term limits, but he started his column off with I believe to be a veiled endorsement of our goal to get sales tax decreased;

Earlier this month when told a group of residents launched a petition drive to counter his and the City Council’s decision to increase the city sales tax from 1.92 percent to 2 percent on Jan. 1 to raise more money for road construction, Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson sounded dumbfounded.

“I’m trying to build a city, and build a city for the future, so that our kids and grandchildren don’t have to go to Minneapolis or Omaha or Kansas City for opportunities. They can stay here,” huffed Munson at the news that Citizens for a Responsible Sales Tax hoped to gather enough signatures to ask voters to cut the city sales tax to 1.9 percent - the pending .08 percent increase plus a bit more – because it is convinced a looming U.S. recession and banks from Iceland to Islamabad making like the Hindenburg is a strange time for city government to be hitting up taxpayers for more money.

“What do they want to take away?” grumbled Munson. He noted the city budget next year includes $615,800 for upgrades to McKennan Park. “Do we want to just drop those programs we want to do for McKennan Park? It’s a possibility.”

If that was a veiled threat, it lacked the veil.

He finishes the column up beautifully

In nine days the other people who inhabit this state will once again tell me just how wrong I am. When that happens, I’ll mutter. I’ll curse. I’ll look to the heavens and shake my head. I might even wonder – if for only a fleeting moment – if somehow, by some fluke of nature, by some crazy twist of fate, I have it backward.

Maybe the misguided one isn’t them.

Maybe it’s me.

And maybe someone should remind the mayor of this city and four-fifths of the Legislature how a democracy works. It seems they have forgotten.

I have long felt that half of our city council and mayor have no clue how a democracy works. The proof is in the pudding. They have been wrong about the Rec Center and Drake Springs Pool, and once again he is wrong about raising taxes on food and utilities to build roads for new development (that may never happen) during a National economic crisis.

Please sign our petition.

Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax

Petition drive going good

l3wis 0Comments

I was in front of the County Administration office after work yesterday garnering petition signatures for the Sales Tax Decrease initiative and was surprised by how many people I could get to sign it. We got at least 90% of registered Sioux Falls voters that we approached to sign it. Only two people were vocal about not signing the petition. One of them called it ‘Stupid’. Which is always a ‘Stupid’ argument. We have only been doing the petition drive for 2 weeks and we already have good numbers. I have a feeling we will have no problem making the Spring School Board election with the initiative. And, BTW, if you are against the initiative and you see me, tell me why – don’t just say it is STUPID. Lower taxes on food and utilities is NEVER stupid.

Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax

Info Meeting – Sat. Oct 11, 10:30 AM – Caille Library (49th Street)

l3wis 1Comments

The Sales Tax decrease WILL NOT

–          WILL NOT Affect the 2009 Budget (It would not take effect until January 1, 2010. In the spring of 2010 the city will have 3-4 new councilors and a new mayor that most likely will want to go over the budget with a fine tooth comb and make adjustments. There couldn’t be a better time to implement this decrease.

–          WILL NOT Affect the operations budget (Police, Fire, government services, etc.)

–          WILL NOT Take money away from Lewis & Clark (this is actually being paid for thru your water bill)

–         WILL NOT  Take money away from new road construction (Developer fees can pay to build new roads)

–          WILL NOT Take money from road maintenance and infrastructure projects

–          WILL NOT Hurt growth and development

The Sales Tax decrease WILL

–          WILL Reduce the tax on food and utilities

–          WILL Put approximately $5 Million back into taxpayers hands to spend on what they want (this will actually help the local economy because the money will be spent on good and services and promote local business which actually helps growth).

–          WILL Force the city to make cuts from the Capital Improvements Budget (which currently includes giveaways to downtown businesses, unneeded upgrades to entertainment facilities and other WANTS)

–          WILL Be responsible to taxpayers

 

We will also have petitions available to anyone that wants to help.

 

 

Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax Munson SF City Council Sioux Falls Taxes

What does L & C water system have to do w/Sales Tax? NOTHING!

l3wis 8Comments

Mayor Munson seems to be up in arms over the sales tax decrease initiative (Argus Leader), which is no surprise, well it kinda is. It will have NO EFFECT on his budget and will have to be dealt with by the next mayor and council. By the time this takes effect, there will be at least 3 to 5 new councilors and a new mayor. Secondly Munson seems to be spinning the story,

Munson bristled at accusations that he hasn’t overseen responsible growth during his time at the helm, pointing to major street construction projects on 57th and 26th streets as recent examples.

“We planned Lewis & Clark for growth,” he said, referring to the water project. “Maybe under their scenario we don’t need Lewis & Clark. I think that’s crazy.”

First off, this decrease won’t take ANY money away from street construction (I’ll get to that later) and secondly Lewis & Clark is being paid by a loan the city took out that is being paid off from increased water rates, not sales tax. We also may receive money from the Federal Government (don’t hold your breath though, it seems neither presidential candidate is too interested in that). Like Rudy Guilliani and 9/11 everytime someone wants to cut the budget, Dave brings up Lewis & Clark. Cut the bull Dave.

As for street construction money being taken away, this is also a myth;

Officials warn that Sioux Falls will continue to lag on new road construction if the tax doesn’t go to a full cent. That, in turn, would hurt economic growth at a time when the national economy already is in precarious shape.Officials warn that Sioux Falls will continue to lag on new road construction if the tax doesn’t go to a full cent. That, in turn, would hurt economic growth at a time when the national economy already is in precarious shape.

It is merely $5 million dollars that will have to be cut from the Capital Improvement Budget (Basically a slush fund that pays for all the goodies (wants) in our city). In fact Munson mentions a great cut in the article.

Munson pointed out that McKennan Park next year is budgeted to receive $615,800 for upgrades.

Huh?! They just received upgrades this year already. Another example of wasteful spending.

And it seems councilor Costello went over to the dark side,

“They are fully within their rights to do what they are doing,” Costello added. “I personally would not sign that petition.”

Why wouldn’t you sign it Pat? I sign petitions all the time with stuff I don’t agree with. I signed the Initiative 11 petition, I signed Nader’s and Bob Barr’s petition to be on the ballot in South Dakota. I think it’s good to let the citizens decide. This is what a democracy is about. Do we want to let citizens decide on what they want to spend $5 million dollars on, or do we want 4 councilors, developers, special interests and a mayor decide?

I think we know the answer to that question.

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