Sioux Falls city councilor Stehly’s yearly mailed newsletter hit the mailboxes today in Sioux Falls. I know that it was mailed to a ‘significant’ amount of Sioux Falls registered voters. This is NOT a campaign piece. Theresa has NOT announced if she is running for a second term and paid for the printing and postage out of her personal funds and NOT from city tax dollars or campaign donations (I don’t think she has any campaign money). It’s a fantastic read! I did NOT contribute and didn’t know about it until today when I saw it posted on Facebook on the SF Politics page (they actually deleted the post after I pointed out they were promoting it, while bitching about it). Theresa sent me the PDF version below;
A Carnegie Hall mole sent me this photo a while back. It was Neitzert’s desk in the basement of Carnegie Hall. After I brought it up and the rumor going around he may be applying to be Innovation Manager for the city the desk has now disappeared. It will also be difficult for Neitzert to take the job (if he wants it) because city ordinance would have to change. A city councilor cannot work for the city for a full year after their term is up on the council.
Antacids, breath mints, gum, aspirin, hand lotion, and sticky notes, the desk of a true leader.
NOTE: I had to edit the 2nd slide because the dates were wrong on the city’s presentation. I passed the information along, so it will likely be fixed tomorrow.
A word on Sioux Falls City Election Campaign funds.
You learn a lot about a person by the way they handle other people’s money. Both tax dollars and those monies raised to run an election.
When a person runs for office obviously they need money to run a campaign so they can get their ideas out to the public.
When the campaign is over and the bills are paid, what should be done with leftover cash?
To me it’s simple.
It’s not your money.
Whether you win or lose, you don’t keep it. You don’t save it for your next election. You don’t give it to others running for office.
I agree, as I said a few days ago, the responsible thing to do to your contributors is spend every last penny up until the day of the election. Your campaign chest should really be empty or in debt on election day. That is called running a responsible and fiscally wise campaign which reflects on how you will run government when elected.
If you can figure out how to return it on a per donor or pro rata (an equal percentage goes back to each donor) that would make sense. Remember, It’s not your money. It belongs to your donors.
If that is too cumbersome, then donate it. Maybe the Community Foundation, the United Way, or the local government you love.
I think it would be difficult to give it back, but I do agree with the charitable idea.
Also I think it is dishonest to raise money to run for a city election and use the leftovers to run for another office later on. “I gave you money to run for mayor. I didn’t give you money to use it to run for Governor, Senator, Congress, or any other position.†I’m not targeting the current mayor. Just using that position as an example.
You kind of are, especially a politician who has money left over by skirting campaign finance rules and receiving donations from toddlers. Yes, toddlers.
I like level playing fields. People who have accumulated big war chests while holding office have both the name identification advantage AND the money advantage.
That makes it nearly impossible for smart motivated unknowns to make a dent.
If you run for office to be a true public servant that’s where your energy and time should go. Not to endless fund raising.
This is local government. It’s supposed to be non partisan and with few exceptions be part time.
Let’s not allow lucre (money) to interfere with good local government.
There have been several local races that have won spending a lot less than their opponents. Staggers (versus Knudson), Stehly, Brekke and Starr all spent less than their opponents and even though DeBoer lost to Soehl (by a handful of votes) he spent a lot less. It is possible to beat big money, you just have to find creative ways to get your message out there.
As we embark on this massive re-development of the Sioux Steel Property, let me take you back in time to when this chunk of property was like no other in this city.
Prior to 1930 – this land area was once a proud picnic area situated on the west bank of the Big Sioux River. Once known as “Seney Island” or Brookings Island prior, people used to walk along 4th Avenue, cross a little foot bridge, thuis crossing the West Channel that helped form the boundaries of the island. This was once a wooded area, with a two smaller islands off the northeastern side, a swimming beach on the southeastern side, while children once ran thru and played in the massive wooded area of Pine Trees, Elm’s, and Cottonwoods, Evergreens, and Oak Trees.
During the 1930’s, Sioux Steel, the St Paul and Omaha Railroad Companies purchased the land closing off the “West Channel” while turning the land into a massive Railroad Yard, Dumping Grounds, Steel & Lumber Yard, while on the northern portion of the property along Phillips you had Pitt’s Steel a steel recycling center.
There is really no evidence let of the West Channel unless you know where to look and find the markers, all you need to do is find the boulders on the north end of the property, follow the water pipeline around the fence line, while 4th Street marks the apex of the West Side of the Island. This island was a “D Shaped” island.
This current development project may not be the greatest, it may not always be supported by those of us whom adore nature, but lets be honest here shall we, this is the perfect compliment to returning a piece of property back to the people. Gone is the West Channel, the Sand Beach, the Forest of Trees. That part of our history is lost in time, it exists only in our memories today. But – any project that attempts to the return the once proud property back to its glorious past, is a win in my park. Gone may be the beautiful island park, but in its place today we will have a wonderful Hotel, Retail, and Convention Complex, along with a beautiful river walk along the river. As I ponder this new found development, I wish to share a few pictures from our past, below – I provide you a few pictures that include a zoning map of the area, and an old news article of the island. In it – the dream by many was to establish a wonderful and beautiful City Park. Who knew, that nearly a century later, that dream would actually happen, just not in the way it was intended all those years ago. Instead of a nature resort as the article stated; we have a commercialized form of a resort. I present to you – Seney Island.
Sincerely, Mike Zitterich (Sioux Falls) Link to TIF presentation
l3wis 
