Um, how many times have we heard this song and dance before?

Sales tax receipts in Sioux Falls continue to slump, but officials at City Hall say they have a plan should conditions get worse.

Through February, revenues from the city’s 2 percent sales tax were 1.9 percent lower than during the same period in 2008. It’s the main source of revenue for the city, generating about $90 million last year for basic operations and capital improvement projects.

“It’s only the first three checks of the year,” Finance Director Eugene Rowenhorst said, referring to the state’s reimbursement checks for sales tax receipts.

 

“We’re not ready to make a statement about what the whole year is going to look like.”

Okay, Eugene, let’s review a few things. First off, we have been in a recession for over 16 months nationally, the unemployment rate has jumped from 3.7 to 4.4 in South Dakota, and the Dow is spiraling to hit rock bottom. What other f’ing checks are you waiting for Gene? Manna from Heaven? Moses to part the Red sea?

And the city council’s economic genius and all around ‘smart guy’ councilor Litz weighs in;

“I’m just hoping it stabilizes and turns around,” City Council Chairman Bob Litz said. “Nobody knows. Nobody knows.”

HELLO! WE DO KNOW! WE ARE SCREWED! Implement plans now!!!!! Freeze department head wages, require all city departments to make 10-15% cuts and don’t hire anymore people including cutting back on on seasonal workers this summer. Also suspend all CIP projects until 2010.

This isn’t rocket science, it’s common sense people.

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