Elections

Curt Soehl Downtown Sioux Falls Elections Mayor TenHaken Riverline District SF City Council Sioux Falls

We may have the ‘Trots’ for another few months

l3wis March 25, 2025 4Comments

It seems Poops and Curtis the Blurtist are in a tizzy over moving our city Spring elections. The state legislature, in all their insanity, changed state law so the city election has to be in June (during primaries) or in November (general). I’m okay with that, but I would support the election in November instead of June. Primaries are partisan and would only confuse voters to see a mayoral and council candidate with NO party affiliation on a ballot with legislators that are partisan. I do believe it will help voter turnout, but I will be curious as to how many undervotes (non-votes) are recorded in the city races if we move the election. Of course the city may have to call a special election asking voters to choose either June or November for the election. I think Curtis and Poops will support a June election. It will be interesting to see if Sioux Falls voters get to choose the date or if we are just approving what these two clowns want. I think the Charter Revision Commission will have to weigh in on this. Like I said, I support moving the election to November, but I am not looking forward to 5 more months of the ‘Trots’.

DID THE CONVENTION CENTER GET KILLED BECAUSE IT’S MAIN CHEERLEADER IS NO LONGER WITH US?

A reader pointed out to me that the CC at the Riversh!t Pisstrict was probably dropped from the Mayor’s agenda because it’s main cheerleader (not Paul) has died, Craig Lloyd. I kind of agree and never really thought about it, but Lloyd had a lot of weight behind the project, and I have a feeling after his passing, the leadership team at Lloyd said we got enough irons in the fire we don’t need to fart around with this. The company is also rumored to be under ‘reorganization’ which started last summer (this has been confirmed to me by several sub-contractors to Lloyd). I’m glad it’s dead, for now, but we will have to watch this. I’m sure future council and mayoral candidates won’t touch this topic with a ten foot pole. I think major discussions will be had about property taxes and the homeless in the next city campaign. I would love it if at least one council candidate and one mayoral candidate (I’m talking to you Christine) bring up transparency in city government and especially the information coming from the SFPD. A closed government doesn’t function properly, and until we fix that, we won’t accomplish anything in city government.

Elections Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

Is Mayor TenHaken becoming a lame duck on purpose?

l3wis March 20, 2025 19Comments

Ever since Poops made the comment about ‘Turd Alley’ (this guy seems to be obsessed with crap) some are wondering why Paul may be petering out with more then a year left in his term. Here is my theory. With a only a year left in a 8 year term, he may be ready not to start any new projects, that would NOT be unusual for a lame duck mayor, but you would think he would try to at least make a dent in some big issues he hasn’t been able to solve; affordable housing, homelessness and child care needs (which could all be solved, ironically, by paying higher wages). I think there is another reason.

DID TENHAKEN RECRUIT A REPLACEMENT CANDIDATE?

All roads are leading to MAYBE. While I have mentioned this before, I did get a solid name (but still a rumor at this point) and I believe they are going to announce very soon and Paul will be helping them run for the position with a possible endorsement. So who is this candidate? They are a white, middle-aged professional male who got their start in Marketing (sound familiar?) then worked for a major healthcare provider and now works for a large national out-of-state developer/contractor. If I were to mention his name, it may not ring a bell, but if you worked in marketing or healthcare in this community you would certainly know who they are. Let’s just say he is just a clone of MMM and PTH and won’t offer much but a great smile. But I am sure the churches, the chamber and the Sanford’s of the world will think he is just AWESOME. As I said in an earlier post, we don’t need another salesman in city hall, we need a city administrator who is willing to do the work for the city employees and the citizens.

Elections Sioux Falls Uncategorized

What I would like to see in a Mayoral Candidate for Sioux Falls

l3wis March 13, 2025 4Comments

I get it all the time, “Scott, have you liked any mayor since you have lived in Sioux Falls?” My answer is always the same, “No.”

I would love to see a dozen or more candidates running for mayor next Spring. I think the last time we had that many candidates is when Munson ran for a second term (well he decided not to, then everyone jumped in the race, then he got back in at the last minute).

Some basic traits would be someone who understands the US Constitution, the State Constitution and City Charter. They also should be a non-partisan at their core, and would prefer someone who has been a registered indy most of their lives. They also have to be a consistent local voter. I don’t care about race or gender, but I would like to specifically see a (younger) retired person in the position who isn’t looking to climb any ladders or do favors for friends but has the best interest at heart of the citizens. They should have also worked in a leadership position in their career, either as a CEO of their own company or a director or manager in the public sector.

I guess I am looking for someone who will run the city like an administrator and let the council handle the policy and the purse strings, like they are supposed to. I know I am asking a lot, but let’s keep our fingers crossed and don’t forget your jumping jacks.

Tell me in the comments what would be your ideal candidate.

I know when Kermit Staggers ran for mayor he got accused of not working with the developers and Kermit told me, “I’ll work with developers on re-zones and regs to make sure their projects get done, but handouts and tax rebates, not so much.”

Alex Jensen Christine Erickson Count-cilor Alex Jensen Curt Soehl David ZoKaites Elections Erica Beck Former Mayor Marshall Selberg Mayor TenHaken Mike Huether Rich Merkouris

Mayoral Race shakeup?

l3wis March 1, 2025 10Comments

Since we last discussed this here was the short list of potential or rumored candidates running for mayor;

Mike Huether

Curt Soehl

Rich Merkouris

Alex Jensen

David Z

Erica Beck

Christine Erickson

Marshall (Mr. Illegally living out of his district) Selberg

Well, the shakeup is interesting. I guess Beck has decided to NOT run which put Mastor Poops in a tizzy to find a NEW recruit, apparently he must make sure his horrible policy decisions continue in a good prosperity gospel candidate. He found someone, and they are a nobody, well in the public square sense. They are the president of a local company I have never heard of. Of course, I will not share his name yet, because we truly don’t know until they announce and I will do some digging to find out more about this white, christian, male in his late 40’s. Sound familiar? I hope in next year’s city election folks wake up and realize this current mayor sucks dog do do and anyone he would recruit or endorse will likely go down in flames. Maybe Beck realized this, or maybe she wants to keep her very lucrative job? (Her pay and benefits would be cut in HALF if she became mayor).

Elections Mayor TenHaken SF City Council SF School Board Member SF School District Sioux Falls

See what happens with public engagement in Sioux Falls

l3wis January 22, 2025 5Comments

Not sure which SFSD Board Members pulled their arses from their heads, but this was a wonderful way to engage the public about elections, etc.;

Nearly two dozen people attended an informational meeting about what it takes to be a school board member, and how to run for school board, for the Sioux Falls School District on Tuesday night.

Sioux Falls School District Board of Education President Carly Reiter and vice president Dawn Marie Johnson led the meeting, and explained that board members approve budgets and policies, hire and oversee the superintendent, develop and review policies, represent community interests in education and attend appropriate city, state and national events.

Imagine that, when you have a meeting at 6 PM on Tuesday night you can actually get people to attend (though this is at the same time of the council meeting.) You are also helping people to navigate the political landscape. While I appreciate the public engagement, we know that they will be handpicked, funded candidates that Poops and Matt Paulson pull from one of their prosperity gospel churches. The right wingers will likely put someone up to, though they didn’t have much luck the last two elections. I wonder if they also talked about how to file a campaign finance form that is not perjured?

I think it would be great if 24 people ran for school board. That’s what public engagement is about, not hiding in your basement doing jumping jacks.

We may have the ‘Trots’ for another few months

Is Mayor TenHaken becoming a lame duck on purpose?

What I would like to see in a Mayoral Candidate for Sioux Falls

Mayoral Race shakeup?

See what happens with public engagement in Sioux Falls

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Sioux Falls School Board rips the State Legislature to shreds

We may have the ‘Trots’ for another few months

Is Mayor TenHaken becoming a lame duck on purpose?