Dave ‘No Shame’ Munson talks about laws, growth and disappearing platting fees

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This morning I saw David Kranz did an interview with Dave Munson, he was sharing some of his wisdom as advice for the next mayor. My suggestion is to do the opposite of everything he has done, and you will be just fine. I’m not sure if Kranz used this as Munson’s first quote in the article so that I could fall out of my chair laughing, but it worked;

“I think my advice to anybody is the same,” Munson said. “Make sure you do things legally. Do the things that are right. Just do what your heart tells you to do so that you can make things better.

Those of us who have followed Munson’s administration know that when King Dave talks about doing things ‘legally’ he means ‘try not to get caught’. During his two terms he has been accused of many violations of State law and city charter, yet no charges have ever been brought up on him, mostly because the people who have accused him of these violations chickenshitted out and didn’t follow through. They include

– Campaign Finance violations

– Approving 100% expenditure increase of Phillips to the Falls of $1.5 million dollars without council consent (violation of city charter)

– Private closed door meetings with developers promising them taxpayer resources (Cherapa Place)

– Stifling free speech at council meetings by threatening arrest and police intimidation

– And recently rewriting an ordinance after the council voted on it (Staggers pointed it out in a council meeting and Munson went beserk on him).

But the Monday morning funnies don’t end there. As I have said before the council has had heated debates about maintaining our current city streets, estimates are that we are close to $100 million behind on them and with close to a Half-billion dollar budget this year, you would think that we would be spending a large chunk on maintenance? Guess again.

Last year, the city stepped up street resurfacing and repairs. But Staggers said the city still is not putting enough of its second-penny sales tax revenues into maintaining streets.

 

“They know people are concerned about the streets,” he said. “We’ve had a street problem for a long time.”

 

Next year’s plan calls for spending $6.3 million on resurfacing existing streets and making other repairs. Last year, the city spent $4.9 million.

That’s right, out of a $500 million dollar budget we spend a measley $4.9 million on resurfacing. What a joke. When we are spending so little, on the streets you would think the city was broke. We will probably spend more then that refurbishing McKennan Park. Like I said, all about priorities.

But it gets better, as we gear up to build these precious arterial streets that the developers have been begging for, their 60% share in the form of platting fees has mysteriously been taken out of the equation, or at least Dave ‘No Shame’ Munson, The Argus or KELO-TV didn’t bother to mention it in their stories even though I tipped them off about it last week;

Mayor Munson says the second penny sales tax will help pay for projects in this growth period. The tax is estimated to bring in about $4 million dollars a year that would go to help developers pay for building new streets, sewers and curbing in new neighborhoods.

Make sure you do things ‘legally’ and if you don’t, mislead, mislead, mislead.

Posted in: Munson, Sioux Falls

After squandering tax dollars on his legacy for 7 years, Munson hands off past due infrastructure spending to the next mayor

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Gee, should have saw this coming a mile away from Mr. Predictable, Dave Munson. After throwing money at Phillips to the Falls, Monkey crappers, bunny slopes and consultants for the past seven years, Dave wakes up from his deep sleep and goes, oh, that’s right, we have to spend tax dollars on fixing roads and sewers to;

“It’s something you have to do to make sure you’re repairing and maintaining streets so that they don’t become full of pot holes and chuck holes, and so that people aren’t out there damaging their cars and they are always having to have alignments. We need to be out there taking care of streets and maintaining what we already have,” Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said.

This should be the number one priority expenditure of every mayor, every day of their term, not just in the home stretch. Even Munson admits that’s what he is doing;

“The infrastructure is what keeps us moving forward in the city and we don’t want that to languish behind, and so that we really have to someday play a game of catch up,” Munson said.

Of course we know who the real force is behind the expenditures, special interests;

But its not only the old streets that have to be maintained, 32 million dollars is set aside in the five year plan for expansion of new arterial streets. That expansion includes the Southwest part of town where Sanford plans to build its new research park, and developers plan to build new homes and businesses.

“We all work together but right now our focus is really on public works to make sure that everything is at the stage we want it to be,” Munson said.

You mean work with special interests to make sure they get what they want while the rest of scoop shit from our basements from backed up sewers.

Posted in: Capital Improvement, Sioux Falls

You mean City Hall is trying to boondoggle us with the tax increase? Get out!

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Mr. Elgersma is the only person who probably follows city government closer than I do, he wrote a great letter about the bait and switch with the recent retail tax increase;

So why did the Sioux Falls city sales tax go up? It was said that it was to fund arterial streets. These streets were in the capital improvement plan budget for five years.

 

So the city made a deal with the developers that the developers pay part of the cost of the arterial streets if the sales tax was raised to pay the rest. But no one said what the money was being raised for since this expense was already budgeted. What did all that money really go for? Did City Hall just want more money to play with without telling us what it really was going to be used for?

Of course they did Roger. I knew from the beginning that the arterial streets were merely an excuse to increase the taxes. Just like flying in a bond consultant, at taxpayer’s expense, was a diversion to try to get us to end the petition drive. Dishonesty and deception rules city hall, something I have known for a very long time.

Posted in: Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax

Huh?

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Either Jeff is mis-informed or not telling the truth – or KELO misquoted him;

SF Sales Tax Boost Starts Thursday

The City of Sioux Falls will see a boost in sales tax with the approach of the New Year.

If you shop in Sioux Falls, you will be paying an extra eight cents for every $100 you spend, starting Thursday.

“That’s the way we are able to update infrastructure, water, sewer, roads public facilities, buildings, schools, fire stations, that all comes through sales tax,” Jeffrey Schmitt of Planning and Building Services said.

What!! We were told the Sales Tax increase would garner an extra $5 million for the city to build ARTERIAL STREETS in new developments on the edge of town. But I see, as Pat Costello pointed out in an Argus Leader interview, nothing legally binds them to do it – and they took advantage of it.

In fact, Jeff’s quote is so full of it, I don’t know where to start. So let’s break down the BS, corn kernals and all;

– infrastructure (this is already budgeted and has nothing to do with the tax increase)

– water, sewer (this is paid thru the fees you pay every month NOT RETAIL TAXES!)

– public facilities, buildings, fire stations (This paid for thru various sources such as entertainment tax and regular retail taxes)

– Schools (Last I checked this was paid for thru our property taxes, unless Jeff would like to tell us something we don’t know)

Not sure if I am more disappointed that he is misleading us or that he is just taking marching orders?

I will say this. Dave Munson is a kind man who I think has a good heart and truly loves Sioux Falls. But if he thinks he is pulling a fast one over taxpayers, he is sadly mistaken.

Posted in: Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax, Munson, Sioux Falls

New SF Chamber Chair; Citizen advocates are ‘Negative’

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In the Sioux Falls’ Chamber of Commerce News published in the Argus Leader, the new Chamber Chair Dave Fleck had this to say about citizen advocates and half the city council;

“More recently, the Sioux Falls City Council* voted for additional funding sources for the construction of arterial streets and other infrastructure projects. Instead of focusing on negativity, the council had a vision of where Sioux Falls could be and voted for our future.”

*(Only four councilors voted for the increase with the mayor breaking the tie, this equals 50% of the council, not a mandate or a majority).

This kind of divisive language is no surprise from a Chamber member. Over the weekend it was reported that the US Chamber of Commerce was one of the biggest supporters of the Wallstreet bailout, they are also the largest lobbyist in Washington, spending over $40 million dollars last year in lobbying congress. They like it when taxpayer’s give them money for projects like roads. Mr. Fleck seems to think that it is NEGATIVE for government to look out for citizens first. The amendment that councilor Costello offered to make cuts to the budget instead of raising taxes was very POSITIVE because he was saying we can build these roads without raising taxes. Talk about optimism.

Mr. Fleck goes further with his citenzry attack;

“We need to be willing to risk short-term controversy for long-term benefits.”

There is nothing negative or controversial about asking our elected officials to listen to people who pay their wages and fund this city’s government. In fact I can’t think of anything more negative then apathy.

Posted in: SF City Council, Sioux Falls, Taxes ⋅ Tagged: ,