Well the ‘Boom Town’ mentality chickens have finally come home to roost;
Sioux Falls Development Foundation is getting creative in reaching out to those living nearby with a social media and mailer campaign. Bob Mundt is the President and CEO.
“It is a tremendous need over the next several years to bring people Sioux Falls to work the jobs that we’re creating and so we’re being really creative as to how we do that, looking at how we can reach out to other communities,†said Mundt.
The campaign is targeting residents throughout the midwest.
“Minneapolis, Twin Cities area, Des Moines, Sioux City, Council Bluffs Omaha, Fargo,†said Mundt. “A lot of production jobs. We need a lot of specialized jobs, skilled level jobs.â€
Another challenge for those relocating is finding a place to live.
“I think it’s a challenge that we have, is to come up with a way to have more housing and the affordable housing areas,†said Mundt. “And so I think when we really talk about housing, that’s probably the next big thing. We’re going to have to push hard on is making sure that we have places for those folks to live.â€
“We just want people to come to Sioux Falls and become part of our community,†said Mundt.
I really didn’t know when the bomb fire would start burning out of control in Sioux Falls, but it is really starting to roar. It is estimated that for ever 10 jobs available in Sioux Falls there are only 2-4 workers to even ‘possibly’ fill them. This means passing background checks, drug tests and sometimes health screenings. And if you can get pass that, you may have to deal with attendance issues due to child care.
So how did this all happen? I guess I don’t have to do a bunch of scientific economic studies to tell you the obvious reasons. COVID and the national economy along with global warming issues is driving people and businesses to our region, that is unquestionable, but what has put this ‘Growth for Growth’ sakes attitude take hold is from the years of throwing money at developers and especially development parks. We still live in this dream world that trickle-down economics works. It has never worked and never will (except for those on top of the food pyramid). Even before the ridiculous and unneeded $94 million dollar TIF to Flopdation Park, the taxpayers in the State, County and City have dumped well over $50 million in infrastructure into the place. And for what? Thousands of below living wage jobs that cannot be filled. But this is kind of like throwing gas on the fire (in the form of tax rebates, FREE infrastructure upgrades and TIFs) and it has been going on for over two decades and now that we have ‘over attracted’ business here, we don’t have the workers to fill the jobs, the wages to maintain a economically stable middle class community and the housing they need to live here.
The writing was on the wall folks.
One reason I have railed against TIFs for years is that it is a foolish way to spend property TAX dollars. Instead of investing 100% of that money into the entire community (roads, schools, social programs, etc.) the enormous tax breaks go towards the private investors and developers who spend it on propping up their own businesses while we subsidize those rebates and now it seems to the detriment to the rest of the community.
I have felt that if we would have started cleaning up our core, 15-20 years ago, using these same tax dollars, building up density, propping up affordable housing, and investing in local businesses we would be in a much different position now. Would our growth have been slower? Yes, but it would have been more manageable and we would have developed local wealth. Instead of investing in the core, we blew it on Pools, Event Centers, Bunker Ramps, Dirty Railroad land, etc.
But our failures in infrastructure upgrades is just part of the problem.
While I don’t have an issue with bringing folks in from all over the country, or even other countries (diversity is a good thing) I wonder where they will live? In tents?
While we built up businesses (even ones from other parts of the country and world, who pay little to no Federal or state taxes) we neglected affordable housing, affordable neighborhoods, local business and infrastructure, and somehow we think we are going to be able to put out this bomb fire?
Good luck.
It is possible though.
First we would have to change our entire city council and mayor’s office, county commission and school board. We would also have to restructure our city charter. We would also have to put an immediate freeze on all tax rebates and TIFs to developers and businesses (they don’t need any more incentives folks). We also should put a 2-4 year moratorium on NEW quality of life projects (Did you know the Canaries want us to help build a new stadium). We also need to change ordinance so that the city has at least a $11-13 an hour minimum wage, and wage listing requirement in help wanted ads, and a change in zoning and regulation for homes older then 50 years so it is easier to fix up affordable homes or expand them. We also need to focus a majority of the 2nd penny on cleaning up our core and creating more density.
This of course would mean we would have to overhaul our entire structure of government in Sioux Falls and make bold decisions helping the CITIZENS of our city instead of the MONIED elite. I know, a total 180 from how things are done now.
I hate to say it, but it is going to be a rough ride in Sioux Falls over the next 5 years if some of these things are not done. Inflation in housing will skyrocket, property taxes will become unreasonable, crime is definitely going to go up (and not just because of population growth as our Mayor and Former Police Chief contends).
We will also need a change in the mentality of public employees who will need to have more of a culture of customer service instead a culture of kiss ass the mayor.
I have no intention of leaving Sioux Falls, no matter what happens, but we are no longer the big prairie village that can get away with the old white dudes running the town and pillaging the city coffers. We are going to have to make big progressive moves if we are going to come out of this, because the rich old money white good old boys Republican playbook ain’t working.
l3wis 
