March 2010

Fun times

Here’s your chance to hammer the mayoral candidates, of course the Gargoyle Leader will probably edit your questions (like they did when I tried to question John Thune about healthcare reform) but let’s give it our best shot;

Two candidates for Sioux Falls mayor – Vernon Brown and Janoct Adja – will answer questions from readers and the Argus Leader Editorial Board in separate sessions Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

Let’s see if Janoct shows up. The other night while I was working he came into the bar at the restaurant I work at and I asked him why he wasn’t out campaigning, and the mostly whitebread bar all shut up and stared at him, and the bartender said, “Campaigning?” and I said “Yeah, Janoct is running for mayor.” You could have heard a pin drop. I love how people are sooooo shocked that we have the ‘Black Man’ living in our community. Give them Hell Janoct!

Big Bucks, No Whammies

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIJYfvN9954[/youtube]

Oh boy, there are a few mayoral candidates who think spending the big coin will get them a mayor’s seat, silly boys;

MONEY

A look at the amount of money raised and spent by Sioux Falls mayoral candidates
Pat Costello: $124,835.57 in direct and in-kind contributions; $42,070.80 in expenditures
Bill Peterson: $52,344; $40,629.61
Mike Huether: $73,596.53; $38,838.49
Vernon Brown: $25,034; $9,238.19
Kermit Staggers: $7,854.25; $2,935.59
Janoct Ajda: $0; $0

As the past has proven, grassroots works in Sioux Falls, not money;

When Mayor Dave Munson won his first term in a run-off in 2002, his opponent, Dick Brown, spent 63 percent more money than Munson.

Former Mayor Gary Hanson, who served from 1994 to 2002, won his first term as mayor even though he was “significantly outspent,” he said.

I still believe this is true, you can’t put a value of knocking on 19,000 doors like Staggers has done. In fact Kermit was walking so fast the other day down 14th street that when I honked and waved at him, he didn’t even see me, he had campaign fever. While my liberal friends constantly hammer me about Kermit not being a ‘liberal’ it amazes me how much he reminds me of Paul Wellstone, a liberal/grassroots giant. Kermit will win in the General and he will win the Runoff because of hard work and determination, not because of money.

Staggers said the total is what he expected since he is running a grass-roots campaign.

“If money is the winning factor, why even have an election? We are out for the votes, not the money. The votes determine the election,” he said.

At the end of February, Staggers loaned his campaign $29,500 – a no-interest loan.

Staggers hasn’t spent a lot either. At just under $3,000, he’s nowhere near the expenditures of opponents Huether, Peterson and Costello, whom all have spent around $40,000.

“We are going to allow our opponents to spend, spend, spend,” Staggers said.

“When it comes to city government, I believe in being very efficient in spending. It’s also true in my life and in my campaign,” he added.

Oh, sweet poetic justice.

Bill Peterson; Poor choice for Sioux Falls mayor

Meet the Petersons’ and their strange obsession with ‘The Beatles’

Besides the fact that Bill comes across as angry and looks like a Cabbage Patch kid, he really is not qualified to be mayor. Sure, he has ‘some’ political experience in the SD State Legislature, and he did the bidding of his boss, Kirby, and wrote the Home-Rule city charter. And here is where the problem lies with Bill. There are currently at least two lawsuits (possibly three) about the constitutionality of the Home-Rule charter. Is this who we want as mayor? A guy who doesn’t give two-shits about either the US or SD Constitution? I think not.

There are also some other problems I have with Bill, number one, you have money, go get your kids a decent haircut before they pose for a picture with you for your crappy-ass John Deere-Like website, unless of course you are all Beatles fans, in which I would understand, but gives me yet another reason not to vote for you (I think the Beatles are the biggest overrated band of all time). Secondly, stop acting so angry in the forums. Why are you so mad? Pretty soon they will start comparing you to me. Is it because you are polling in last place? Or because your Home-Rule charter is flawed and is crashing in around you? Bill, not only would you make a poor mayor I don’t even think you are qualified to do Jodi Schwan’s job.

Vernon is though.

(Below Video) Another great night at the Peterson household

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2fDUb57_xk&feature=related[/youtube]

SHOCKED! Sculpture Walk finally admits to taxpayer contributions

Yesterday at the SF City council informational meeting, SF Sculpture Walk dictator, Jim Clark, admitted that the city (taxpayers) give $25,000 yearly to SW (of course after Staggers asked him the question). And just out of curiosity I went to their website to see if that claim was repeated, and it was;

WOW! While Mr. Clark and I don’t see eye to eye, I am glad to see he is coming around. I have often said, give credit where credit is due, and it seems he finally gets it, kinda. Public art is just that, public. And when you shut out the public (after digging in their wallets) you are not encouraging people to give to the arts, it only makes them suspect, that is why public art has gotten such a bad rap. Tell the public what their money is being spent on, and they will support it, keep them in the dark, and they will not.