Council refuses to give up on the Event Center pipe dream

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from the Argus Leader;

Councilor questions push for tax-hike legislation

 

One of the Sioux Falls City Council’s legislative priorities for 2009 raised a flag for one councilor Monday night.

Councilor Kermit Staggers questioned why the council was supporting legislation that allows cities to enact a local option tax to raise money for a specific purpose.

Staggers said he would oppose the resolution because it’s not wise for the council to advocate such a tax in a difficult economy and isn’t a good message to residents.

Council Chairman Bob Litz said the city has an expected level of service to meet regardless of the economy.

“This doesn’t mean we are going to enact a tax tomorrow. It just gives the city the freedom to do so when it decides,” Litz said.

Other priorities are ensuring adequate transportation funding, enacting a statewide ban on smoking, developing standards to provide equal 911 service to all and encouraging cooperative efforts to improve 911 services and efficiency.

The measure passed 6-1, with Councilor Kenny Anderson Jr. absent.

Trust me, if the state gives sioux Falls the right to raise taxes to build an event center (that’s what this is about) They would do it the next day.

I also like this line;

the city has an expected level of service to meet regardless of the economy

Bologna. This is another scare tactic by Bob ‘Spread Fear’ Litz. An Events Center has nothing to do with servicing the citizens of this community. Want to service us? Trim our trees, stop pushing snow in the end of our driveways, build a homeless shelter, fix our streets, etc, etc.

Bob, you must really think we are dumb.

Sit down and be quiet; NOT!

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I would like to thank the Argus Leader for printing this letter:

I’m asking all registered voters in Sioux Falls to join me in signing an initiated petition to decrease the city sales tax in 2010. The timing couldn’t be better. There will be a new mayor taking office in 2010 and the possibility of up to four new councilors. This will be the perfect opportunity for citizens to hand them a policy of fiscal restraint and responsibility.

The past six years our city has spent beyond its means. Our city debt is approaching $300 million, we are $80 million behind on road maintenance, and 2009’s budget is a record $412 million. This whopper includes a multitude of capital improvement plan expenditures that are merely handouts to special interest campaign contributors and consultants and unnecessary park and building beautification projects, not road maintenance and infrastructure improvements as city officials would like you to believe.

Our sales tax revenue has doubled during the past decade, so why are we in such a hole? I’ve asked this question several times at council meetings and only have received the runaround from our leaders.

A responsible and representational city government would have granted its citizens with either a tax cut or maintained our current infrastructure while paying down our debt. Instead, four of the councilors and the mayor handed us a maximum tax increase while continuing to borrow more. They claim the extra revenue will be spent on new roads, but there is nothing legally binding them to that promise. Just look at the spending habits of the past six years.

The current City Hall is going to try to dissuade you from voting for this tax decrease. But don’t let their myths about choking growth and progress fool you. With all the consultants and surveys our city has paid for during the past six years, there hasn’t been a single one that has shown lower taxes stunt growth or higher taxes spur growth.

City officials say local business drives our economy. With this I agree. But this only happens when citizens are spending more of their own money on goods and services instead of on higher taxes.

The taxpayers are unknowingly paying for a lame-duck mayor’s legacy. Sign the petition and let the citizens – not a lame-duck mayor and council – decide how our tax dollars should be spent.

We can’t cut taxes because we won’t be able to help the homeless?!

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Now Councilor Knudson is claiming if we drop the 2nd penny tax back down to 1.9 we won’t be able to help the homeless.

(Click on Council/County Joint meeting, November 17 – Starts at 44:00 MIN)

You can also watch Munson do the Mexican hat dance with Commissioner Hajek about funding (50:00 MIN). Which is ironic, considering the county isn’t offering any figures.

First off, De, you told us we had to raise this tax to build NEW ROADS! That’s it! Not for homeless shelters, so cut the crap. As for the homeless shelter, I am 100% for it. I agree with Hajek, that this is an investment in safety and savings to the taxpayers in chronic homeless costs. The longer we dick around with finding a location and funding, the more taxpayers are losing. In fact Councilor Anderson and had a great discussion about it. I told him, and he agreed the best place for it would be next to the Law Enforcement center. Budget the money, stop the pissing matches with the county commission, lock yourselves in a room and negotiate a funding and location solution.

As for where the money should come from? Cut the parks budget to make it happen.

See how simple these things are when you use common sense.

Cutting $5 Million from a $412 Million dollar budget would have been a snap.

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But Councilor Litz doesn’t think so.

Listen to the discussion between Staggers and Litz on the Sales Tax decrease initiative. Litz also believes government knows how to spend your money better then you do. He says to keep the town growing.

I think he has been locked up in Munson’s bullet proof closet for too long.

Inside Town Hall – November 10, 2008

Council Members Kermit Staggers and Bob Litz: Citizen Initiative Reducing the Sales Tax and Shape Sioux Falls. Council Members Litz and Staggers discuss the 2nd penny sales tax and other topics.