What is the biggest mystery in city politics next Spring? The next mayor? The new council? Nope. What golden parachute will Munson take when he leaves office.
I have felt that special interest money has destroyed city government over the past decade in Sioux Falls. Special interests, especially big developers, have funded several councilor’s campaigns, and their voting records prove that influence. All 4 councilors who voted for the retail tax increase last year had their campaigns funded by some of the biggest developers in this town, the very developers who benefit from the tax increase. Of course they fed us a line before the increase that they would be paying 50% of the new road construction . . . BAHAHAHAHAHA! I knew it was a lie then and it continues to be one now. Taxpayers have put 17x more money in the fund then the developers have to date. City officials are considering some changes though to campaign finance.
“I do continue to believe in more transparency in campaign finance,” she said. Knudson added that she supports strict campaign finance reporting rules at the local level.
I agree Quen, but first it starts with limiting special interest influence, like $1,000 a plate BBQ fundraisers.
City Clerk Debra Owen, whose office oversees Sioux Falls elections, proposed the measure. Owen is asking for changes to the city’s rules ahead of next year’s mayoral and council elections. The council should have a chance to vote on the changes in the next couple of weeks.
“Being transparent is very important to them,” Owen said.
Don’t you mean to SOME of them?
It is the republican way to socialize their costs through taxes. We are in a recession. Deepest since the 1930s. SD has a $150 million structural budget deficit. Yet, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Minnehaha, Pennington Counties all think it’s a great idea to raise taxes & increase government pay. Our legislators (Krebs, Vehle, etc.) think it’s a great idea to raise gas and vehicle taxes.
The only place worthy of raising taxes and fees are on the entities that drive public costs. Development sprawl never pays for itself – it should be taxed until it does pay for itself. Nine-five percent of the damage to roads comes from big, heavy vehicles – tax them until they pay for their full contribution to the road damage.
It still bugs me that they sold us this tax increase by saying the developers would pay 50%. Like I said above, I knew it was a lie, yet the media gives them a free pass on it.
“Wanna improve campaign finance laws in Sioux Falls?”
Yeah – I’d love to – what, exactly can I do about it?