This quote from County Commissioner, John Pekas, pretty much sums it up;

“We are the constant underfunded entity in the state of South Dakota,” Pekas said. “This is the perfect poetic situation. The state has a surplus, the city has a surplus and we are out of money.”

I have often felt that there should be a shift in property tax dollars towards the county, I have also felt that the School Board, the County Commission and City Council should all have to approve a TIF with a 60% majority.

Trust me, if the law changed to allow this kind of approval process, no more TIF’s would be approved, and ironically, development would continue.

5 Thoughts on “Why TIF’s are hurting us . . .

  1. pathloss on December 2, 2013 at 10:00 am said:

    The county budget is 60 million. The city is 330 million. The city plans on building hotels at the airport & convention center. The county can’t afford social services for the growing working poor. The city gets justice center & jail services from the county. The city builds indoor sports facilities for the middle class. I have to agree with Pekas. Pekas for mayor so all classes of citizens are represented at city hall.

  2. pathloss on December 2, 2013 at 10:04 am said:

    Anybody in favor of a petition drive to TIF the county 50 million annually for services the city should provide but the county is better at? Seriously, I’d start a drive but I don’t know where to start.

  3. Tom H. on December 2, 2013 at 1:31 pm said:

    I’m in complete disbelief that the TIF process does not give two of the three major property tax recipients (school district and county) any veto power over a reduction in their revenues. What statutory authority does the city have to do this?

  4. anonymous2 on December 9, 2013 at 2:02 pm said:

    Oh ya, John Pekas for mayor.

  5. Tom, it is one of the biggest, idiotic loopholes ever.

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