Boy, we can’t just let this money gain interest in an account, we gotta spend it!

The $4 million surplus in the city’s capital improvement projects budget likely will be spent on 11 projects that range from building upgrades, to street projects, to improvements at the Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum.

At least the voice of reason is back, unfortunately were any of them listening?

But Councilor Kermit Staggers said the final list had no direct benefit to citizens. He had other suggestions about what to do with the money:

• Give it back to citizens through rebate checks similar to what Mayor Gary Hanson did;

• Ensure that there would be no property tax increases, or;

• Create a sales tax holiday where the city would refrain from collecting sales tax for a week or 10 days to generate publicity and business interest from outside the city.

“People-orientated, not just building projects,” he said.

 

9 Thoughts on “Burning a hole in the city’s pocket

  1. Craig on May 22, 2012 at 4:48 pm said:

    How about pay off some debt and/or put this in a rainy day fund for the next time we find outselves sending turds into the river?

    What… thinking ahead is a bad idea these days?

  2. Randall on May 22, 2012 at 7:02 pm said:

    How about replacing a few of the dead lights in the underpass where 57th street goes beneath I-229?

    It’s not really a problem …but it’s not very classy either – to have more than half the lights in the tunnel burned out.

  3. PrairieLady on May 22, 2012 at 8:48 pm said:

    “Councilor Jim Entenman said it was important to choose projects that can be completed this year.”

    Why?

    I would love it if there was no increase in property taxes, but why can it not sit for a rainy day?

  4. That’s my contention. Either give it back or let it sit in savings.

  5. Craig on May 23, 2012 at 9:30 am said:

    How about replacing a few of the dead lights in the underpass where 57th street goes beneath I-229?”

    I seem to recall something about the fact that only half the lights are on at any given time – perhaps there are lower wattage lights for daytime and higher for night? Not sure… but I do know even when it was brand new all of the lights were never on at the same time.

    Personally I always thought that entire underpass was a boondoggle. They have fire department hook ups every 40 feet or so, they have tile lining the walls where concrete would have been just fine and they have enough lights to land a 747. Was all of that really necessary?

    Put a few lights in and a fire hydrant on both ends.

  6. I attended the Council’s work session.

    It reminded me of the stories you hear about when someone wins the lottery and people start coming out of the woodwork asking for handouts.

    This happened because the Council did NOT proactively develop a policy for what to do with surplus CIP dollars. Inexcusable…….given the fact that this is the second year in a row there has been a surplus!!

    The most outrageous requests were:

    **Elizabeth Whealy of the Great Plains Zoo asking for an additional $342,000.

    Taxpayers have “gifted” the zoo with millions of dollars in improvements. Whealy, herself, will tell you that attendance at the zoo has doubled in the last six years to almost 300,000 visitors this year. Where is all that additional revenue going? I was at Park and Rec’s annual CIP work session in 2011 (for 2012) and the conversation was how to begin to reduce the subsidy to the Zoo NOT how to increase it!!!

    **Phase II of the River Greenway $1,018,000

    Substantial cost overruns have already occurred in Phase I of the River Greenway. We have not even had the ribbon cutting for Phase I, and Director Kearney is already back asking for an additional million for Phase II.

    Kearney indicated that there is only one bidder and that bid has come in higher than expected. This should have been no surprise…….when Jon Jacobson of Confluence (architect of the river greenway) gave his Phase II presentation to the Park Board several months ago, he warned them there was not sufficient funding to complete Phase II as planned!!!!!

    Monday evening, Kearney made the statement that if they cannot secure the additional funding now, other projects might have to be deferred to divert money to complete Phase II of the river greenway.

    All Sioux Falls neighborhoods that are waiting on a park or park improvements in their area need to start paying attention!! As taxpayers, do you agree with the millions of Park and Rec dollars that are being invested in the downtown area, or is it time that the dollars be invested in NEIGHBORHOODS!!! If this concerns you, it’s time to start speaking up!!

    **The Library Improved Technology $500,000

    This was not so much about the request as the way in which it was done. Our new library director, Mary Johns, was asked about the request. Her response was delivered in a VERY demanding tone!! She might want to demonstrate a little more humility when making future budget requests!!

    **Stacy Newcomb-Weiland of the State Theatre was allowed to give public input for a request of $250,000.

    The fact that she was allowed (by the leadership Aguilar/Erpenbach) to make such a request was completely inappropriate! If you are going to open up a BUDGET work session to requests, then you need to give every organization that same opportunity!! Remember, it clearly states on the Council’s Work Session agenda (posted on the city’s website) that NO public input is allowed!

    ****Not one of the eight Councilors suggested rolling over the four million dollars into 2013 while they develop a policy for surplus CIP dollars.****

    The Council’s choices will be outlined at the 4:00 Informational meeting, Tuesday, May 29th. Public input will be taken at the Council’s June meeting.

  7. l3wis on May 24, 2012 at 12:08 pm said:

    “Not one of the eight Councilors suggested rolling over the four million dollars into 2013 while they develop a policy for surplus CIP dollars.”

    Because that would make sense.

  8. Rebate Please!!

  9. l3wis on May 26, 2012 at 11:53 pm said:

    Lex, I am with you!

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