economy

The Governor needs to take the wax out of his ears

After reading the budget address story in the Gargoyle Leader, I dove into a tiny little article buried on page 9A and not available online (that’s where the Liberal media puts their important stories I guess) the article detailed how Dems have been after Marion M. Rounds for three years about limiting the growth of State Government (you know, all those unneeded no-bid contracts to friends and family he has secretly deguised as FTE’s), but as usual, Mike refuses to listen to anyone but his inner greed and arrogance;

For three years, Democrats have tried to hold state government to the 3 percent budget increases allowed schools and counties, and we couldn’t get support,” said Dem Ben Nesselhuf of Vermillion, “If we’d been doing that for three years, maybe we’d have money.”

Democratic Rep. Bernie Hunhuff of Yankton also voiced concern about the property tax increase;

It could sow the seeds for another property tax revolt, and we don’t want that.

Get out the pitchforks and torches I guess.

I think Minority leader Scott Heidepriem of Sioux Falls, District 13, where I live, said it best when he called the governor’s budget “Cynical”

I guess I wouldn’t have had a problem with expanding state government if government services have become better, in fact they are either the same or worse since Rounds has taken office. Just look at the vehicle registration fiasco. So where did the millions go? This is about helping friends out, and now that he has broken the bank, he continues his state of denial and promises more cuts to education, salaries and road construction while failing to put his hand out to our new president who vows to ramp up infrastructure and domestic spending. Once again SD Republican leaders have proven the best way to fix problems is to tax and spend instead of making cuts.

Council refuses to give up on the Event Center pipe dream

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.

Marion M. Rounds little pity party

Rounds to skip important meeting with new president elect Obama,

He also said that to show he’s serious about curtailing out-of-state travel, he won’t go to the Obama inauguration or Friday’s meeting in Omaha of the Council of State Governments.

So let me get this straight, Mike, you don’t have a problem with flying the fleet of state airplanes all over the state and country with family in tow, handing out millions in no-bid contracts to campaign contributors, but you can’t afford to drop a couple hundred bucks to drive to Omaha for a very important meeting? Kind of sounds like your own little GOP pity party because your party didn’t win the White House. In these incredibly terrible economic times, I would think it would be very wise to meet with Obama about green energy production in our state since he has vowed to spend billions domestically on infrastructure projects that include roads/bridges (something we badly need) and wind energy (something we have a shit-load of).

Stop being a little neo-con baby and get your ass to Omaha Friday.

Lame Duck President Quacks Under Pressure, Apologizes for Financial Meltdown

That’s right, president Bush said he’s sorry about the worst financial meltdown since the great depression. He’s not really responsible for it, but he’s sorry. So there’s that, which is nice. If only Herbert Hoover had thought of it in 1929. 

The whole thing reminds me of Bill Clinton apologizing to some group about slavery – as if it was his own doing. Did it help anyone with anything? No. Did it solve anything? No.

I’m waiting to see which of his two responses to problems Bush will deploy on this one: will he bomb it or throw bricks of money at it?