South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

SF City Council

Patrick Starr SF City Council Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls City Councilor Pat Starr suggests the Council takes their power back from City Hall

l3wis 5Comments

For Immediate Release

Contact: Councilor Pat Starr- Northeast District – (605) 321-9680 – pstarr@siouxfalls.org

“Today I am recommending the Sioux Falls City Council set aside remaining COVID – ARPA funds granted the City by the State and Federal  governments to be used in a program for assisting homeowners in improving the integrity of their homes.

“There are funds remaining in the ARPA program,” said Starr “and these should be set aside in a revolving fund available to our current homeowners and those to come in order to guarantee the stability of that housing market.”

“The Mayor has not told our City Council or residents the amount of remaining funds and before they are wasted on potentially dubious projects, the remaining funds should be used as a homeowner TIF (Tax Increment Financing) type program for our hard hit neighborhoods” Starr added.

“The program could be set up as a revolving small loan fund, allowing future citizen homeowners to borrow funds to keep their homes and property in good condition and thus preventing their neighborhoods from becoming blighted.”

Starr concluded by saying “We have a great and growing city and will continue to be only if we help those who can least afford to make even small investments before their property falls into disrepair.”

Elections Mayor TenHaken Pam Cole SF City Council Sioux Falls

Mayor TenHaken says to vote NO on his salary increase

l3wis 11Comments

Here is the ‘reason’ he is giving;



For Charter Amendment A, which would raise the mayor’s and City Councilors salaries, I am voting NO on this issue. During a time of record inflation and extremely tightened budgets for families across our community and country, paying our mayor and City Council members more is not warranted or timely.



While he is absolutely correct and probably the reason most voters will be voting NO, this is purely political. He knows damn well that this will fail and now with his endorsement of failure it will probably go down in the upper 70 percentile range. It’s easier to admit failure in advance then to ask for forgiveness in the future. Well played Poops.

Some have speculated this was cooked up by Councilor Marshmellow Selfish and the mayor had little to do with it, but I do know they are close, so I have trouble believing it.

I also find it ironic that he doesn’t think he deserves a raise right after giving $2.5 million in bonuses to city employees, before an election, then receiving union endorsements. So which is Poops?

He also endorses his hand picked candidates (probably would have been weird to hand pick puppets and endorse their opponents). They are clearly selections / recruits. In order to endorse someone you would usually at least have a conversation with the other choices. Many people have told me Poops recruited Sarah Cole because her kids attend the same school as his and that is where they met. We know image matters more to Paul than substance, so it makes sense.

While commenters rail on him about it being inappropriate, which a personally agree, when it comes to the 1st Amendment, Poops has the constitutional right to publicly endorse whoever he wants to, if it makes him look like a jerk, oh well – ethics and integrity really are not tools in his toolbox.


I think this comment from candidate Pam Cole sums it up;

This is Pam Cole and I’m running for At Large B. I bring local and state level policy building experience to the council as a former school board member and state senator. I’m a community builder and leader of policy driven equitable solutions. What on earth are you doing, mayor TenHaken by getting involved in this way? You have refused to meet with me since January 10th. I have given you my card twice…(thanked you for your service while doing so), I’ve filled out the online meeting request form as you suggested, emailed your assistant Julie, given my card to Erika Beck, and other members of your staff, and I stopped in your office in person. You don’t know me, you don’t know my abilities and the heart I have for people. You refuse to meet with me, even though we may get to work together for the greater good of ALL the people in this community. Please go to www.coleforcouncil.com or call me at 605-695-1996 or email me at pam@colefor council for more information, everyone! I WILL MEET with YOU!!
Here’s who you get with Rich Merkouris: someone that left an ELCA Church (as associate pastor) and started his OWN CHURCH. after the national ELCA decided it is OK that pastors are gay. (I’m an active member of Spirit of Joy ELCA Lutheran in Sioux Falls) And, Rich’s position as President of Kingdom Capital Fund garners him $75,000 (as per IRS.gov) to dispense hundreds of thousands of dollars OUT OF STATE activities that attempt to reprogram people such as anti-gay radio personality Dawson McAllister. 260194811_201912_990_2021040517880016.pdf (irs.gov)
Being an authentic Christian means acceptance of others. Please speak truth about us as candidates. Meet with me. Get to know me. My ability to accept others their religions, their color, their sexual orientation, their social and financial status, that is what we NEED for our City. Not judgment, not control. Open hearted care and conviction of everyone’s right to make more of themselves. I CHALLENGE everyone on this post to seek out information. PLEASE call or email me. I’m here for you. 605-695-1996. pam@coleforcouncil.com
https://www.facebook.com/PamColeForCouncil
And, I urge you to VOTE EARLY. This post may solidify your support of those the mayor mentions. That is fine; please go vote for them. If it causes you to question an imbalance of power, then please vote for me. I am ready to serve you and this city.
KnowThyNeighbor.org: Top 40 Radios Stations Nationwide Including Kiss 108 in Boston Promoting Ex-Gay Movement, Exodus International (blogs.com)

David Barranco Elections SF City Council Sioux Falls

The very Peculiar David Barranco

l3wis 9Comments


Up until this point, the only really thing we knew about Mr. Barranco (who is a candidate in the SE district for the Sioux Falls City Council) is that he fears the boogey man called socialism and he tries to buy votes with go-cart and intertube rides.

But when you start digging around you begin to wonder if his campaign and (family) life in Sioux Falls is all a charade? What are they really doing here? And why does his city council campaign face seem so different than his face from the past?

The first thing several people (lawyers) have questioned is why doesn’t Barranco have a law license in South Dakota? I guess he hasn’t ever applied. He currently holds a license in Texas where his clients are and makes no income in South Dakota. Then why leave Texas for South Dakota? I guess you would have to ask him.

And while David tries to play the Trumper card, he seems to be a wine and cheese lib at heart and apparently a well known author;



In 1993, David was named UT’s most outstanding liberal arts student; in 1997 he won the Willie Morris Award, which recognizes a superlative “call to intellectualism, vigorous defense of civil liberties, and overall pursuit of excellence.”

Mr. Barranco is especially proud of his SPLC Wall of Tolerance commendation — an award affording him the opportunity to shake hands with a true American hero, Rosa Parks.

The MacArthur Foundation granted David a 2004 Post-Graduate Fellowship in Public Policy.



With all these accolades, you kind of scratch your head a bit and ask why none of this stuff is mentioned on his website or in forums? He likes to talk mostly about dog parks and football.

You also have to scratch your head a little about the life experiences of his wife Catherine who currently doesn’t work at all;



Because it had been her ambition since childhood to attend Harvard College, she applied for early-decision admission to the top-ranked school, got in and never filled out another college application. Not surprisingly, her choice worked out well for her. “I knew Harvard had history and traditions as well as a quality education, with students you could learn from,” says O’Gorman. “You can study down by the river in Cambridge, and in 10 minutes you can be in Boston, having Ethiopian food or going to the ballet.” At Harvard, O’Gorman remained an outstanding student, making the Dean’s List each semester and graduating magna cum laude.



So you attend Harvard, worked as an executive with Walmart, then move to South Dakota and become a house wife after a short stint with the SD GOP with a mysterious departure?

There is something very peculiar about the Barrancos to go from Wine and Cheese Texans to Beer and Chislic South Dakotans. If I had a resume like either one of these folks, wouldn’t you tell people about it while running for office? Maybe he is on a secret mission to destroy local government from within? Wait, someone is already doing that 🙂

If Barranco really is an intellectual he will be bored to death serving on the city council.

SF City Council Sioux Falls State Legislature

South Dakota Legislature expects annual reports from DSU’s Cyber Lab, What about the City of Sioux Falls?

l3wis 2Comments

The South Dakota Legislature approved and made appropriations of $30,000,000 to be given to Dakota State University to help build the Cyber Expansion Building in Sioux Falls. This is in conjunction with the City of Sioux Falls providing additionally the $10,000,000 as per City Ordinance 38-22 from city funds to the same cause. The state legislature goes an additional step, by ordering a report each year the balance of funds remaining, and an itemized list of expenses of money already spent each year. When will the city expect the same?

Elections Minnehaha County SF City Council Sioux Falls

Early Voting for the City Election moved to 2nd Floor of Minnehaha County Administration Building

l3wis 9Comments


When I went to vote today I noticed an empty auditor’s office with directions to go to the 2nd floor (which I am sure is quite convenient for the elderly and handicapped 🙁 I asked the lady when I got there why it was on the 2nd floor she seemed bewildered and said that is the only place they had room (even though like I mentioned before, there was an empty auditor’s office). I was told later by a county official that they wanted to have people vote at the election center but that is currently being used by the equalization office because the administration building is being remodeled.

Let’s get things even more confusing for voters – and we wonder why no one shows up for muni-elections? There was also NO sample ballots available that I could see (I did not ask for one).

There was also this sign posted on the door of the building.


Not sure why a NON-city petition cannot be circulated while people are coming in to vote. I’m not even sure if they can legally restrict petitioners on public property.

This state, county and town is turning into a real fascist state.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

You Missed

Audit SF City Council Sioux Falls

UPDATE: Internal audit has a busy schedule

Uncategorized

It’s the little things

South Dakotans State Legislature

What the?

Drinking Liberally

Drinking Liberally Update (8/23/24)