Why I opposed the Sales Tax increase

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Matt from the Argus Leader wrote a great column about the sales tax increase. Though he makes some good points he missed why some of us opposed the tax. I opposed the tax because I feel the city has made very poor choices in the past 6 years when it comes to road funding. Our tax revenue has doubled in the past decade, yet our retail tax rate has not decreased and we are behind on road construction. What does this mean? It means our city is not spending our money wisely. With that kind of revenue increase we should be driving on well maintained and new roads or our taxes should be low – neither is true. Now that the National economy is tanking it has become more evident that a sales tax increase will be an extra burden on SF residents.

I have often thought that if politicians use common sense when they make decisions, they will make good decisions, when do not use common sense they make dumb decisions. The sales tax increase was not a common sense decision.

Get it dummies?

Pettigrew Heights; Investment or Boondoggle?

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Nobody from the planning office is talking.

“All we can say at this point in time is that we’re evaluating,” planner Russ Sorenson said.

Okay, so you take almost a million of taxpayer’s money but you can’t tell the citizens or even the council what’s going on? And you wonder why we don’t trust this mayor? This secret BS has to end. If non-profits want to buy this property and are asking for tax incentives, it should be public information. Period. Of course Mr. Know-it-All city attorney would probably disagree, because, you know, he has a law degree and we don’t, blah, blah, blah.

Councilor Kermit Staggers said it would be a “disservice to the taxpayers” if the city loses money. Staggers says he wants more information about the project.

“It’s not like this has been something that has just transpired,” he said, “and the City Council should know more about this. If it’s about contract issues, we can go into executive session.”

SF Developer finally speaks

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Now that the vote is over.

As the Argus Leader points out, Mr. Lloyd is developing in the area where some new roads will be built, the same guy who contributed to Jamison’s, Litz’s and Brown’s campaigns this year. Even throwing a fundraiser for Brown at his house.

To the north, on Benson Road, the city plans a $2.8 million arterial from Interstate 29 to Career Avenue. Eventually, it will extend west past Marion Road.Craig Lloyd, who has developed office and commercial buildings on the south side of Benson Road, says there are 3,000 to 4,000 people already employed in the area. Another call center is going in next year, and the two-lane road can’t handle the traffic.

He also believes that growth reduces property taxes. Property taxes NEVER go down, they only rise, and continue to rise in Sioux Falls, one more reason why people are buying houses in Tea, Harrisburg and Baltic instead of Sioux Falls.

Developers and members of the city’s building community spent more than a year putting the package together and getting it through the political process. Lloyd, who marshaled about two-dozen supporters for last week’s council meeting, said it would be a mistake to assume that developers and builders supported the increases out of self-interest.

New roads will open more areas to development, Lloyd said. But that growth helps lower the property tax burden for all residents. Without growth, Lloyd said, the burden will increase for residents.

Then he goes on to say how he deserves to be heard. Yet he never approached the podium even once during Monday night’s meeting. But he got former city planner Steve Metli to go up and vouch for him. 

Lloyd said he’s tired of the implication that he and other supporters of the package were up against “the citizens of Sioux Falls.” “Last time I checked, I’m a citizen,” he said. “I pay taxes. I support the community. Am I a second-rate citizen?”

No, you are not – but we are.