Back from the Dead

We will be continuing our petition drive, the Argus Leader writes about it today;

A petition drive to lower the sales tax in Sioux Falls will continue after sponsors sought legal advice Tuesday, one day after a lawyer representing the city said that lowering the tax would be illegal.

People have to remember this is about sending a message to city hall that spending, borrowing and taxation is out of control and we expect better from the next council and Mayor in 2010. It is of no consequence to Mayor Munson or the other last term councilors. They have had their chance to be accountable and have failed on some fronts.

The worst part about this is that the city paid an out-of-state attorney (with our taxdollars) to mislead the very citizens that paid her tab.

On Monday night, Minneapolis lawyer Betsey Aby told city councilors it would violate state law to lower the sales tax because portions of the city’s sales tax are obligated to pay its outstanding bonds.

Sioux Falls lawyer Dan Brendtro disagrees with Aby’s opinion.

“I think that she is flat-out wrong,” he said after meeting with Stehly.

Brendtro said the decrease sought by Citizens for a Responsible Sales Tax would not imperil the city’s ability to pay off existing bonds. He argues that the state constitution requires local governments to collect a “sufficient” amount of money to honor debt payments.

“It doesn’t say you can’t lower your taxes,” he said.

Remember, this initiative is about letting the citizens decide. How you vote on it is up to you.