South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

religion

Developers Development Downtown Sioux Falls religion SF City Council Sioux Falls

Did Tre Ministries LIE to the City Council?

l3wis 4Comments

Pretty much.

10 command . . .?

When the development plan was first presented to the planning commission it was under the pretense that the developer at the time who owned the property, Justin Johnson, would develop it as presented. After that, JJ sold the property to Tre who got private investors. When the SF City Council approved the open ended, interest free loan of $500K for demolition, Tre, once again, seemed to lie about the development plan. The shcity council approved the expense to taxpayers and now Tre are saying there is no plan, because they have no money. May I suggest a SF Heroes garden for the space?! Just like the Arc of Dreams, it would be a game changer for 18th and Minnesota.

Like the Dems in Congress, I ask the CC, what the Hell are you doing?!

Developers Development Mayor TenHaken religion SF City Council Sioux Falls

City of Sioux Falls left holding the bag on another project

l3wis 0Comments

Once again either the developer wasn’t being honest with the council and administration or the administration hasn’t been honest with the council, either way, this stinks;

The development concept still is being finalized. When it was presented to City Hall a year ago, it included a mixed-use concept with residential above and Tre Ministries among the lower-level occupants, along with opportunity for other commercial tenants.

A final determination for the overall site design hasn’t been made and will depend in part on financing.

The site demolition was funded with support from the city of Sioux Falls. The city has a $500,000 deferred loan at zero interest available to Tre Ministries that allowed the site to be prepped for construction.

The remaining development will depend largely on donations.

As I understand it Tre got a gift or loan from some ‘corn’ folks to buy the property, then the city gifted $500K to tear down the property (0% interest deferred loan) in order to move forward with the project, now they are saying they don’t have enough money to proceed? WTF?

So did the council and administration KNOW in advance that they didn’t have a plan BEFORE they gifted this money? If they don’t even have money to build the place how the heck do you suppose they will pay us the $500K back!?

I TOLD SEVERAL COUNCILORS TO VOTE AGAINST THIS LOAN. I felt the organization was a little shady in what they planned to do, and I was right.

Suckered again by prosperity gospel folks, but no surprise when Pastor Poops is their main advocate, and I bet he knew they didn’t have a plan and hid it from the council. If I was the city council I would declare breech of contract and make them pay the $500K back immediately. Then they can sit on the empty lot as long as they want. We have to stop subsidizing religious organizations like The Dud House who is connected to a church worth BILLIONS and a SD Diocese that spent $16 million to restore the Cathedral. They have the money, and even if they didn’t, taxpayers shouldn’t be funding religious organizations they should be funding a mission. If we need more affordable housing for young folks, build it! If we need more job training opportunities in Sioux Falls, let’s fund it, but we have to realize anyone can accomplish anything with determination and hard work, the Bible is just a nice book to read once in awhile.

1st Amendment Parody Political Satire religion Satire Separation of Church and State South Dakotans State Legislature

10 Commandments in Schools to be printed on edible paper

l3wis 3Comments

IMAGE: Amazon.com

I guess the legislature figured they could kill two birds with one stone. Not only will kids be able to read about the moral high ground on their classroom walls if their parents don’t pay their school lunch bill they can just eat the 10 Commandments poster. I kid of course, but this article about failing to fund school lunches puts it in perspective. Since schools will be mandated to display the posters and ‘teach’ about the 10 commandments there will be incurred costs, and I can guarantee they will be well North of the $616K wanted and needed to help fund school lunches. I actually think you will never see one single poster in the classrooms because there will be a lawsuit and the law will be thrown out.

religion SF City Council Sioux Falls Taxes

Why are the taxpayers of Sioux Falls giving money to a Religious Organization?

l3wis 12Comments

Not sure how long the city has been doing this, but if you look at the December expense report apparently we need to fund religious orgs in town now;

YMCA (YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSN OF SF): $16,416.63, Operating Support

Besides being kind of an odd amount and giving money to a religious organization without the consent of the public or even the city council is NOT a good look. Also, if you check their tax filing from 2020 they are part of a National organization that pulls in millions from donors and grants;

This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Young Mens Christian Association is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a “Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation” by the IRS.

They even describe themselves as a religious organization. It would be like the taxpayers giving money to the Catholic Diocese. I know we have been giving to them for awhile on different programming but after they f’d up the deal with Sanford on the west side rec center, essentially forcing us to purchase the place because Sanford was loosing money on the facility, they shouldn’t get another penny from us!

The entire expense report is fascinating to read because it provides little detail for massive handouts, like this;

LLOYD COMPANIES: $992,331.40, Various Projects

Closed government at it’s best!

Speaking of that, the salaries finally posted Friday afternoon, AFTER, they were printed in the Dakota Scout and distributed. I have not done a deep dive yet, but if you compare to last year, some folks got some massive raises!

2024 DOC • 2025 DOC

1st Amendment religion Separation of Church and State South Dakotans State Funding State Legislature

State Dems need to introduce a counter bill to the 10 Commandments bill

l3wis 5Comments

Besides a violation of separation of church and state they seem to think that our government was based on Judeo Christian beliefs. That is completely false. Besides many of the lawmakers at the time were agnostics or just simply ‘believers’ (deists) but did not follow a certain religion. Also ‘GOD’ is not mentioned in the Constitution;

In the United States, the federal constitution does not make a reference to God as such, although it uses the formula “the year of our Lord” in Article VII.

I was told that was used because we used the Christian calendar, which is way different then Christian Doctrine. Also the Declaration of Independence is pretty scarce on that GOD word;

Nature’s God: The source of power in the first sentence of the Declaration

Creator: God endows humans with unalienable rights

Supreme Judge of the world: God judges the actions of all people and ensures that justice prevails

Divine Providence: The founders entrusted themselves to God, who they believed had protected them and would continue to do so (The last two references were added during congressional debates over the document.)

Notice no mention of Christianity or ANY religion, and they did that on purpose. Just because you believe in a religious doctrine doesn’t mean it is always referring to the Christian God. They used the word GOD in a way that recognizes all faiths and beliefs and is a universal word for our creator. I will tell people while I am NOT religious I did attend Catholic and Lutheran services growing up and I do have faith in God, but not a religious God. So don’t call me an Atheist like Huether did on the mic at Democratic Forum once right to my face.

IMAGE: https://www.dkclassroomoutlet.com/

I am suggesting to legislative Dems to introduce a bill that would require all classrooms to display a ‘Be Kind’ poster or better yet amend the current bill. Obviously many legislators are too ignorant to understand the separation of church and state (which actually protects Christians more then any other group). Be careful what you ask for. If this passes I look forward to the ACLU lawsuit.

Next Page »

You Missed

Downtown Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

What’s the ‘REAL’ reason the $16 Million ice ribbon is NOT finished?

Education funding SF School Board Member SF School District Sioux Falls State Funding State Legislature

Sioux Falls School Board rips the State Legislature to shreds

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

We may have the ‘Trots’ for another few months

Elections Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

Is Mayor TenHaken becoming a lame duck on purpose?