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.”

Posted in: Pettigrew Heights, SF City Council, Sioux Falls ⋅ Tagged: ,

Tax and Fee increases only hurt growth

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Monday night’s (Sept 15) tax and fee increases were a disappointment to say the least. But there were many things that happened Monday night that have citizens asking even more questions than before the vote.

 

• Councilor Costello’s amendment asking the city to cut $5 million from the budget so we would not have had to increase the sales tax was not only the right thing to do, it was good clean common sense government. Four of the councilors supported the amendment, the rest and the mayor did not. I also want to note that Costello is an accountant and business owner and has an intelligent grasp on economics. Also it is prudent to point out that the four councilors and mayor who voted against the cuts have had their election campaigns funded by special interests who will benefit greatly by the sales tax increase and new roads.

 

• The legal question behind whether the developer platting fees were a tax was a valid one considering the person asking the question, Dr. Kermit Staggers holds a PHD in political science. During the council meeting Councilor Staggers read from SD Codified Law, which clearly stated this was a tax and not a fee (with the exception of one word, in which the city attorney used as his argument against Staggers). And if it was a tax, it needed to be voted on and approved by the people. The city attorney disagreed. Though the city attorney has mountains of law experience, being a former judge and all, he can certainly manipulate his opinion to fit a political agenda. Let’s remember who appointed him to judgeship – Bill Janklow, enough said.

 

• But last but not least, the use of the taxpayer money to lobby for a tax increase using city employees and funds to design and maintain a website is unconscionable. I believe that the citizens deserve a refund. May I suggest the mayor and the four councilors who voted for the increase refund us out of their paychecks?

 

I have heard that some citizens may be weighing their options to stop these increases from being implemented. They won’t take effect until January 1, 2009 so there is some time. What can be done? I’m not sure, but here are some ideas that have been floating around;

 

• Propose a citizen’s Initiative that says the city cannot raise sales tax without citizen’s vote and approval. Also, start buying as many products and services online from other states and countries that don’t charge a sales tax, essentially boycotting the sales tax.

 

• Challenge the fee/tax question and ask the attorney general to render an opinion on it.

 

• Sue the City of Sioux Falls for using taxpayer’s money to lobby for a tax increase.

 

Some may wonder why citizens would want to fight so hard to stop these increases. It’s simple really, now is not the time to raise taxes and fees. I think councilor Staggers said it best during Monday night’s meeting, we need to be a competitive government, that’s what will inspire growth. That means keeping fees and taxes low. It seems some bureaucrats in City Hall think the trickle down economics of Ronald Reagan and both Bushes is the way to go – yeah, that really worked out well for the middle class, didn’t it?

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

Mayor Munson and Vernon Brown are the Bestest!

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I hope the Gargoyle Leader’s editorial board gargled after writing this piece.

I love how the column was laced with assumptions. Like this line which was pointed at Staggers who was actually questioning state law, which we expect out of our lawmakers.

Costello argued persuasively without resorting to scare tactics or histrionics. Unfortunately, others speaking in opposition to the tax increase couldn’t resist crossing that line.

Or this line, which I find ironic, since just a week ago you thought the tax increase was the best thing since sliced bread, but now all of sudden you are wondering if it will work. Talk about skirting your responsibility on taking a position (which I disagree with, because newspapers shouldn’t be in that business anyway).

Was raising the tax, which amounts to 8 additional cents on a $100 purchase, the right move? It’s impossible to know.

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

Freedom to Watch Quality TV During Meetings proposal & and second to the motion

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The below link clearly explains why our beloved and most-wise Council member Mayor-ness DeeDee is so sleepy sleepy tired (BUT still very articulate and coherent) at city council meetings: 

http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,73910

Sad and tragic. DeeDee is being forced by the evil Dr. Staggers to watch really sucky and boring TV programs to keep her distracted from more important things, so someone should immediately make a proposal (DeeDee will second it) allowing council members (especially her) MORE freedom to do as the average citizen of Sioux Falls does each Monday night: watch top-notch quality NTN (Not the News) television. Therefore,  instead of council members having to pay attention to what is occuring within the mundane Monday meetings, it should be proposed to just let the city Mayor, city administrators, and city developers run the city as they know best and allow the council members to use the City Link remote-control device to flip channels as they see fit during council meetings. Here is an advertisement for one of the wonderful television programs that my family and I watch – without fail – every Monday at 7PM on Channel 21. It is entitled “CSI: Just The Fun Facts of Life’s Big Brother’s Steak and Survivor’s Beer Idol Football Bunch” –

Steak and Beer

Sincerely,

EggBert Tib. Fra. Ich. Goo. and family (minus Aunt Bertha, who has for the past many weeks been embarked on a top-secret Alaskan mission to steal Hotty Toddy Paladin’s winning snow machine as a means of protesting that it should have been HE, not his wicked yet saintly wife, to be chosen as the Republican VP choice.  Alas, Aunt Bertha’s hubby Rusty still can’t shake his lusty crusty for Sarah Paladin’s busty – YOWZER!)

Posted in: SF City Council ⋅ Tagged: ,

The day after the vote

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AFB (American Freedom Press) reporter, Kyl Kwat called Sioux Falls mayor and city councilors Tuesday morning to get their reaction on last night’s sales tax increase.

Councilor Brown was disappointed that Costello wanted to cut funding to the Parks and Rec department to offer an alternative to the sales tax increase.

“I just felt it would really cut into the quality of life the parks bring to our city and I was damned if he was going to stop the construction of our newest park, The Unicorn and Rainbow Gardens. This project has been near and dear to me, and it would just break my heart not to see those unicorns dancing with children in plush fields of butterflies and leprechauns .”

Councilor Costello had this to say about Vernon’s opposition to his alternative funding package;

“Is he still whining about that stupid Unicorn park? That guy really needs pull those rainbow dreams out of his a . . !”

We questioned Mayor Munson as to why he felt it was necessary to gavel a citizen who pointed out that the board of ethics was politically appointed.

Munson: “He’s just flat wrong!”

Kwat: “But they are appointed by you, correct?”

Munson: “Yes.”

Kwat: “and you are a politician that belongs to a political party, correct?”

Munson: “Yes.”

Kwat: “Well wouldn’t that make them political appointees?”

Munson: “POINT OF ORDER! POINT OF ORDER!”

We called councilor Knudson at 11:00 am and apparently woke her up.

“Why are you calling so early? I’m exhausted!” Knudson replied.

We told her it was 11 am, and she apologized, “I’m just out of it, you know that little troll that comes to all the meetings just goes on and on about citizen’s rights, the First Amendment, blah, blah, blah and it gets really tiring. My normal nightly routine is watching a rerun of Golden Girls and hitting the hay at 7:15 pm. You’d think with all the time I put into the meetings I was getting paid to be there or something?”

Kwat: “Aren’t you?”

“Silly boy! $17,000 a year? That barely covers the detailing on my Trans Am convertible for the year!” Exclaimed Knudson.

We called councilor Beninga’s home and got this message from his answering machine: “This is Gerald. Thank You for calling. I voted No. Bye.”

Councilor Litz, though mostly silent through much of the proceedings last night had this to say, “I voted yes on this, because I’m for progress and against citizens, no, I mean, I’m for street closures, no, I mean I’m for new streets, and car lots and, five cars for my kids. You know I buy a lot of groceries . . . and nails, you know? Because I like to eat and build houses.”

Jamison seemed confused why so many citizens were against a tax increase to build new arterial streets. “How else is my family business going to make money?” Greg pronounced, “There is only so much commission my wife makes on selling $895,000 homes! Besides her hobby real estate business hardly helps to make ends meet. Good thing I get that $17,000 a year to serve on the council, them beauty bills from the salons and spas are getting steeper every year. Inflation you know?”

Kermit Staggers still sounded frustrated about the question of whether the platting fees were really a tax. “You have a city attorney, a mayor and unicorn boy who have no regard for the law, or for a citizen’s right to vote on the issue. I had to read them South Dakota codified law during the meeting because I still think they do not understand that it was a tax and not a fee.”

Kwat: “What did you think of their reaction to you reading the law?”

“Reaction?! I think De was asleep, Litz was eating a cookie, and Vernon was day dreaming of licking creamsicles on cotton candy clouds.”

But Anderson’s comments were very telling. “I think sitting on the city of Detroit’s council would be less controversial. At least they have sex, drugs and rock & roll to get them through the day, and that’s just on their Blackberries.”

ON A SIDE NOTE: We also want to recognize that Iraqi immigrant and director of the multi-cultural center, Quadir Aware spoke at the council meeting thanking the councilors and the mayor for cleaning up the SEX in Falls Park.*

*(though most this article is complete bullshit, that statement is not.)

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