For the last eight years, our city’s government has been characterized by closed-door politics, flashy construction projects and a disregard for basic issues that effect our entire community. Our city’s crime rate has been steadily climbing. There’s a significant shortage of affordable housing and we don’t have enough young workers to fill the available jobs in our city. We need a mayor that will address these obvious issues and will help Sioux Falls continue to be a great place for anyone to live and work.
I believe that Paul TenHaken is the best person to address these issues and lead our city into the 2020’s.
So if Mr. TenHaken has known about these things for the past 8 years, where has he been to battle this administration in the trenches like some of the rest of us? Not only Paul, but what about Jolene and Jim?
Actually Jim celebrates the past 8 years.
The next mayor should not only be aware of where we are coming from, but they must also have the experience of dealing with this current debacle that encompasses city hall.
When the books are opened on May 16, 2018, we may find all kinds of surprises.
ThuneHaken smiles too much when he talks about affordable housing, meth, and crime. I don’t think he realizes it, but these issues are little more complex then creating a positive work environment for one’s employees…
At ThuneHaken’s announcement, his concern for affordable housing was an obvious after thought, but that issue and some others are not a bother, rather they are a priority for the next mayor…. And only a true and qualified candidate for mayor understands that……
When Johnson and Thune were running against each other back in 2002, I remember getting a fundraising letter from the Johnson camp, where Senator Johnson mentioned in the letter that the current race for the US Senate was not a race to be class president or one of mere popularity, rather it was a race to elect someone to deal with the real issues of the day. TbuneHaken’s candidacy is as if he was running for class president or homecoming royalty; and such an approach might be cute and fun, but its merely fluff, while many citizens in this town are worried about crime, meth, housing, and wages….. We don’t need a class president or homecoming king, we need a mayor who will represent the people and not be a dress rehearsal for greater future political ambitions as an effective spokesman for the interests of the 1%……
The paragraph of your inset is correct and well stated. It’s the separate last sentence that has no merit. The day before the next mayor takes office, city hall will sound like a factory. All the paper shredders will be going.
Greg, Jim and Kenny have seen the sun set on their time in city government. All three were pretty ineffective, Jim being the worst. He was Huether’s yes man on the council. What did Greg and Kenny ever accomplish that mattered? Worse than being a yes man, they let Huether walk all over them or unite the council in opposition. So, the question is do they have skills and guts lead the city? No way.
Joe – by dismissing the 3 former councilors you imply that the choice for Mayor comes down to Gunn, Loetcher or Ten Haken – collectively, 0 years of government leadership experience. Please explain.