Mayor Huether; The best way to combat crime in our community is to close your garage door and avoid the crazies.

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In the latest episode of Greg Belfrage’s Mayoral blab fest, once again, Mike is in complete denial of the rising violent crime rate in our city and blows it off as a result of fast growth, meth and alcohol use and mental illness. Huh? We will get to that in a moment.

But before all the talk about locking up your car and crime, the mayor told Smello radio listeners that we have ALWAYS paid for infrastructure upgrades to sewer and water from the enterprise funds.

Now I think he is just lying for the fun of it.

He also thanked councilors Anderson and Karsky for getting the EC built and Snowgates tested, then mumbled something about struggling with Jamison and Staggers.

But back to crime. While it should be NO surprise the chief denier is in denial over our soaring crime rates, his comment about blaming the mentally ill for this rise in crime is neither productive OR truthful.

He gets on the other Smello media source and says;

many Sioux Falls crimes stem from drug and alcohol abuse, as well as mental illness.

The city is going to combat each of these issues? I know it’s illegal to be drunk or high walking down the street, but now it’s going to attract attention from city officials if you have a mental health issue and dare to go out in public?

I guess the county jail had better stock up on cots and plan on at least two people per cell when there’s a concert at the event center, the city is going to start rounding up not only the homeless, but alcoholics, drug addicts, and people with mental health issues too.

So while the state has formed a task force to ensure people with mental illness get better treatment than they do now, and hopefully spend less time in South Dakota’s criminal justice system, once again the Sioux Falls Mayor knows better and instead has preemptively decided that people with mental health issues are criminals and a matter of public concern. Hello ACLU?

No wonder the city can’t keep a human rights coordinator.

 

Posted in: Crime, Sioux Falls

Mayor Huether Claims he doesn’t know the new councilors, I do.

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Once again, in the weirdo elitist tennis playing club the Mayor lives in, he says he needs to get to know the newly elected councilors. In other words, he needs to meet the people he wasn’t expecting to win. Maybe he should put the same effort into it as one of his directors did yesterday coaching O’Gorman Tennis at McKennan Park in full tennis gear at 5:10 PM. It’s sure nice that Mike lets his 6-Figure directors knock off early on a Tuesday to coach tennis to private school kids. At least he wasn’t guzzling beer at Monks.

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The look on Mike’s face during this interview says it all, I’m screwed;

While he was happy with the number of candidates, Huether admits that at first he didn’t know everyone running for City Council. He says more candidates means more effort in getting to know them. Perhaps that’s why we saw such a low voter turnout on Tuesday.

There was a low voter turnout, because city leaders are more concerned about holding press conferences about cleaning up your yard for NCAA basketball tournaments then they are about telling people to vote.

And let’s not act surprised, our research at DaCola showed us this would be a low vote turnout to begin with, historical data doesn’t lie, but salespeople hate history, they only live for today, so Goddammit, why didn’t people vote!

As for encouraging ALL people to vote, I’m not big on that. Uninformed voters tend to stick us with stuff we really don’t need, like a $180 million dollar debt from an Events Center, with 11,000 of those yahoo-voters never showing up to vote again. GOOD! There is nothing scarier then an ignorant voter.

Let’s look at the winners. Obviously two of them I know well, I ran their marketing/graphic design/ and mail coordination campaigns with cameraman Bruce. We also assisted Pat Starr with some various strategies.

Pat Starr I think will be the surprise on the council. He’s sharp, witty, articulate, well informed government nerd. He is also a proud old school Democrat. I think you are going to find that Pat is a bridge builder, and he will strive to form coalitions. He also is well read with local, national and state politics. We have had many great convos over tots and burgers at the Lil Colinga, the voter should be very happy he was elected, he will serve us well.

Greg Neitzert is the encyclopedia of zoning and planning in Sioux Falls. I don’t think Greg will allow the public to be buffaloed by directors on these issues at public meetings. Greg also is a man who loves transparency and integrity, and he is very adamant about it. If we see improvements in lighting some sunshine in city government over the next 4 years, it will probably be because Greg initiated it.

As for ‘Big T’ as I nicknamed her years ago, besides being a dear friend and mother figure to me, she is a fighter, and she will stand up for the little guy, I’m sure the mayor knows who she is.

Joe and Ellis from the AL did some good stories about her, first Ellis;

Since her arrival on the local political scene nearly 10 years ago, Theresa Stehly has savored victory and swallowed bitter defeat.

Last night’s victory for an at-large seat on the Sioux Falls City Council was her biggest win of all. This time, it was a personal triumph over the so-called “establishment,” the well-heeled business and cultural elite that has held Stehly and her followers with varying levels of disdain since the piano teacher emerged from nowhere to defeat an indoor swimming pool planned for her neighborhood.

She ran the superior campaign, focusing her limited resources on targeting the small pool of voters who reliably turn out in local elections rather than blowing money on unfocused television ads, billboards and mass mailings. The targeted mailings she did send out were also superior. They talked about who Stehly is as a person and reminded voters of issues she’s championed over the years, including the ever-popular snowgates.

For once in a city election, the anti-establishment saw a breaking point, but I will also agree with Ellis, if you drive the winning race car, with the winning driver, you will probably win. I felt the needle point strategy was important, not just to save the candidates money, but to prove if you take the time to campaign to those who care, and you are a stellar candidate, you can win.

Theresa also talks about her health scares, as a friend I remember this time well, something I discussed with Theresa in length before she decided to run again. There were some moments when I thought I would be speaking at her funeral instead of guiding her thru another campaign of promise for the average Joe. For the record, I assisted Theresa and Greg as clients of the print shop/direct mailer I work for as their customer service rep. I was paid my employer to assist them as clients.

Sneve also takes a shot at Theresa, this time letting Vern Brown’s sour grapes over Drake Springs squirt all over the pages of the Argus;

Vernon Brown, a former City Council member who ran against Stehly in 2008, said it’s no surprise Paulson played better with voters in affluent neighborhoods like the ones found on the southern outskirts of the city.

“Where John won was in wealthier portions of the city, where they have a stronger interest in quality-of-life issues, parks and things for families,” Brown said.

WOW! I find the irony of Vern’s statement staggering. Vern and his wife come from very humble beginnings, and for Vern to make the statement that ‘us working class’ don’t care about parks and such couldn’t be further from the truth. Just peruse our park system any weekend this summer, the rich and affluent are not overtaking our parks, it is the working and middle class who use this wonderful free service that they truly value.

But then Vern pulls a 180 and admits, there are some things you cannot beat;

“I don’t think endorsements do a ton for local candidates, but in the case of Councilman Staggers endorsing Theresa, he always has a group of people who walk strong – loyal supporters of his.” Brown said. “So in the election with low voter turnout, that plays a big factor.

“John is known in the business community but on the street the average voter doesn’t know him that well. Ten years of being at public input and in the news benefits Theresa.”

The irony of all this is when Vern beat Theresa, the low voter turnout was about the same. And name recognition played to his advantage.

Funny how these things work out.

 

Posted in: Greg Neitzert, Mayor Hubris, Mayor Subprime Mike Huether, Mike Huether, Patrick Starr, SF City Council, Sioux Falls, Theresa Stehly

City Election Financial Fiasco & Paulson’s Piggybank & others

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There is more to come as to why the candidate financials were not filed last week. Let’s just the city has a whole lotta excuses that don’t add up. They may even be in violation of state open records laws.

Expect more on that story in the coming week.

For now, we need to focus on the election. The financials magically started showing up this morning on the city website. Not sure if the city was playing a game of protecting ‘certain’ candidates financial reports from the media and public, but one of those reports is scattered with donors from the who’s who of Sioux Falls. (click to enlarge)

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It is also worth noting that former city councilor, De Knudson gave money to any candidate that would oppose my four choices (the anti-Staggers clan).

Other notable oddities;

Tammy Fenner received a donation from Justin Johnson. Not sure if this is the same Mr. Johnson that owns several infamous bars and casinos throughout town and donates to legalizing marijuana attempts, but if it is, I found a self-proclaimed conservative Christian taking money from him a bit ‘odd’.

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Selberg borrowed a couple of peeps from Paulson’s list to butter his bread.

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Srstka got a sizable chunk from former Attorney General, Mark Meierhenry. Many people have asked me if Erin is related to judge Srstka, and I am not sure. But she also got a verbal endorsement from retiring circuit judge Pat Riepel on Friday at Dem Forum during announcements.

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We will also talk about strategies after Tuesday, and how they matched up. It is pretty clear from viewing the financial reports how the candidates spent their money. After we see the winner’s circle Tuesday night, we will know which strategies worked.

Posted in: Elections, John Paulson, SF City Council, Sioux Falls, Tammy Fenner

Argus Leader endorses Neitzert & Stehly

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Congrats to Greg and Theresa;

Theresa Stehly is the best choice to succeed Staggers in the At Large seat on the City Council.

The fact that Stehly has allied with Staggers on several high-profile issues doesn’t alone justify this choice. Stehly rises above the two other candidates – John Paulson and Ritch Noble – because of her knowledge of city issues. The benefit of her activism over the years, whether on the Drake Springs Pool or boulevard gardens or snow gates, is that she built a working knowledge of the details of local government.

• • •

We recommend Greg Neitzert as the best candidate in the Northwest District.

In addition to volunteering for the zoning panel, Neitzert was deeply involved in the debate over the rewriting of city zoning regulations, the Shape Places ordinance. In that role, he became one of the most knowledgeable people in the city on issues of growth and development, what smart planning should look like, and how our city should look and feel in the coming decades.

He is the most prepared in this field to step in to help set the path for the City Council and the city.

And ALMOST endorses Steele and Starr;

Selberg’s opponent, Manny Steele, is a former state legislator with a long history in state government. This experience doesn’t always translate to local politics, however. Steele is an earnest public servant who brings and appropriate level of skepticism to any debate.

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It really comes to a pick between Pat Starr and Tamara Enalls-Fenner. In this case, a Northeast District voter would be well served by either of the top candidates. But that’s not how voting works.

Starr, a marketing and advertising professional, has a good suggestion regarding the planned parking ramp on the site of the failed Banks shared use project. Starr suggests holding off building the ramp and moving on to other worthwhile projects around the city to allow time for more ambitious ideas for a key piece of downtown property. It’s a useful suggestion that demonstrates his practical approach.

Posted in: Elections, SF City Council, Sioux Falls

Srstka & Fenner get endorsements, Briggs is confused

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Vote GOAT this April 12th!

While I think the Staggers’ endorsement was good for the Stehly campaign, I wonder if a Karsky endorsement holds much weight (He also endorsed Noble and Selberg). As I have pointed out since he has announced he is running for county commission, one of the most ineffective councilors in recent history.

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Fenner was publicly endorsed by former Mayor Hanson (he also sent out a fundraiser letter for Tammy).

Expect Pat Starr to get an endorsement tomorrow also.

In other candidate news Briggs Warren got his wires crossed in the forum today on the Argus. Candidates were asked what decision they would applaud the Mayor on and which ones they disagreed with. Briggs commended him on the youth free bus rides. The mayor was actually very opposed to the program. Councilors Jamison and Erickson spearheaded that program. But Briggs did chastise the mayor on the lack of transparency the administration has shown in the Events Center siding settlement.

Posted in: Elections, SF City Council, Sioux Falls