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A ‘Dumpling’ of a Deal

l3wis January 19, 2026 0Comments

So this bank president wrote an editorial, that I won’t even link, because it read like an internal memo to the Chamber of Commerce, but he had to tell us how great it is for the state to be dumpling millions in taxdollars and rebates to the new dumpling factory being built in Sioux Falls. He also downplayed the conflicts of interest and scandals around the place because we are going to get 650 JOBS!

And that is the real reason we got this dumpling of a deal. Low wages, no corporate income taxes, TIFs, tax rebates, state backed low interest loans, direct handouts. Things couldn’t look better for the Koreans that will be making BANK from our cheap labor. There is even rumors they are going to build apartment complexes around the facility so the workers won’t have transportation costs. Kinda tells you what kind of labor demographic they are looking at (I bet they will build them a big community garden right next to the Data Center);

Ironically, looks like a line worker makes more then a teller at the bank the writer of the editorial runs;

I love it when these corporate rats climb out of their luxury suites at the Denty and decide to address the minions to tell us how good we have it.

Recently they have said that if the Federal Minimum Wage kept up with inflation, it would be at about $23 per hour in 2026. It is Not, it is about a third that.

I still think a living wage in Sioux Falls is $20 an hour if it comes with benefits and investment opportunities.

I guess low wage companies are going to come to our state whether we like it or not, but please, stop using my tax dollars to incentivize foreign investors. You clearly did NO research on Korean work ethic, but I have a feeling they will try to instill it here. Can’t wait to read those horror stories.

When fat ass bank presidents try to tell me about all the golden opportunities for the community because he gave away MY tax dollars to his rich buddies, it reminds of this story about a guy who wants an island, and he wants me to pay for it. I know. CRAZY! Besides, there is only one dumpling in this world worthy, the softball sized flour dumplings at Bohemian Cafe in Omaha (RIP). You put in a factory like that, and I will open a Kolache and Kuchen bakery next door.

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A Data Center in Sioux Falls is very bad for the local economy

l3wis January 19, 2026 2Comments

I am still astounded that not at least ONE journalist or news organization in Sioux Falls hasn’t done a deep dive on Data Centers. It is obvious to me, the cons outweigh the pros. Don’t believe me? Try to find a positive story about Data Centers from a legitimate news source. You can’t find them. Sure there is propaganda put out by the Data Center lobby using social media, but those are paid for stories.

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Let’s work on Transparency, Survey Says?

l3wis January 18, 2026 3Comments

Yeah, I know, you can’t make this crap up (Item #7);

It appears the city council is hiring the same company (Polco) who did the National Community Survey to do a survey about government engagement. Council was already told what they need to work on;

For the record, this may be just a back payment for the survey and other consulting work, but that is usually paid in advance, so it appears they are doing another survey to figure out why the first survey turned out so bad. This is insanity. You need to have a public forum at the convention center and have constituents present their open government ideas to your FACE! You are so scared of the general public you have to blow $30K on another survey so you don’t have to interact with the public. Do you even have an inkling on how open government works? Apparently not.

I wonder if the comments will be deleted from this survey also?

You also ONLY have a month to put OPEN GOVERNMENT transparency on the June ballot. That would be my suggestion, let the voters decide how transparent their government needs to be by putting a package of open government ordinances on the general ballot. But that would have taken planning and having public forums on it starting this past summer. They were to busy trying to build a fence around Dudley.

Oh, and I find it funny the city is spending $500K on the Pavilion’s garage, and subsidizes the Lodge restaurant at the ice ribbon to the tune of $300K a year (also ran by the Pavilion). Did you also know the Pavilion offers NO free programming. Zilch! The art museum WAS free, but Mr. Greedy who runs the Pavilion broke that promise and started charging us. IMO, the subsidies to the Pavilion need to end since there is ZERO public benefit without purchasing a ticket. And even though it is a city owned building, upgrades and maintenance should be paid for by the Pavilion, and there should be a lease agreement.

But we need to cut other subsidies;

I would agree with the city that a review of services needed to be conducted with NGO’s receiving city funds, but why weren’t we doing this all along? Oh that’s right, because our elected leaders and city management are incompetent. I also think the city should do zero based budgeting. In other words, the city should start each department with $0 at the beginning of the budgeting process and justify their budget and expenditures. Right now, they just tack a percentage onto last year’s budget and march forward. It is lazy and it costs taxpayers probably over $100 million a year+ in unneeded expenditures and budgeting. We have a full-time finance department, they should be working on this all year long and getting rid of waste!

I agree with Mike Z, that the city council needs to do a full investigation and forensic audit of every single city department if they really want to get unnecessary spending under control.

I’m sure they’ll take another survey before making that decision though.

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Flippin’ the Bird at a Sioux Falls City Council Meeting

l3wis January 17, 2026 2Comments

So a foot soldier asked me an interesting question, ‘What did you think of the guy who was removed from the city council meeting after flipping councilor Spellerberg the bird?’ I wasn’t there, so I wasn’t sure if his bird involved threats, folks in attendance said it did NOT. All I saw on video was Spellerberg crying to the mayor about a bird flyer;

Flipping the bird (giving the middle finger) is generally considered protected speech under the First Amendment in the U.S. as a form of expressive conduct, even when directed at police, though it can lead to trouble if combined with other actions or interpreted as “fighting words” or a true threat, potentially resulting in disorderly conduct charges. Courts have affirmed that this crude gesture expresses contempt or anger and is protected speech unless it incites immediate violence.

So if he would have done it with other gestures or words that would incite violence or threats, the mayor who instructed security to remove him had every legal constitutional right to do so, BUT if the person simply flipped the bird and even said or mouthed ‘F’ck You’ That isn’t a violent threat and his removal was unconstitutional.

The Prezzo Sally Tomato used that argument this week when he flipped off a Union worker, ‘He was practicing his 1st Amendment Rights.’ So if it is good enough for Sally isn’t it good enough for Sal?

I have no idea who this high flyer was or if he has the financial means to attain legal representation, but they would have a case for illegal removal and the violation of their constitutional rights.

These folks running our city really need to go thru a 12 Step 1st Amendment Rehabilitation Program. It is THAT bad!

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UPDATE: Let Sioux Falls Vote! Sign Data Center petition!

l3wis January 14, 2026 10Comments

UPDATE: Dusty weighs in on Data Centers;

Under his proposal, Johnson said projects should move forward only if they demonstrate no adverse impact on water quality or price, no adverse impact on electric rates, create good jobs, and deliver long-term tax revenue.

They do the EXACT opposite, so I am guessing Dusty is opposed?

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You can go here to see all the signing events, there are several this week starting tomorrow. I also encourage folks to pick up a couple of petition sheets and collect sigs to. While there are thousands of legitimate reasons to not build this Data Center, I am opposed to my electrical rates going up. Full stop. This decision by the council is one of the worst since it hurts individual’s personal finances.

Our elected leaders are telling us these days what they really think of the public;

Sally flipping off an auto worker and telling him ‘F You’ after he questioned Trump about protecting Epstein.

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