South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

May 2018

gambling Sioux Falls

Could Badlands Pawn be converted into a new Royal River Casino?

l3wis 6Comments

Before we get worked up about this happening, state law would have to change first to allow an Indian Casino off of reservation land. As I understand it, but correct me if I am wrong, those laws can change through the legislature and Governor’s signature OR by voters. Not sure if it would be modeled after how gambling came to Deadwood or not. I’m a little murky on those details. But if the law changes it could also help another community that has been proposing a casino to, Yankton.

So why do I bring this up?

First the obvious, the Badland’s Pawn location and building would be a perfect fit, it would also boost that area of town that has struggled for decades to become an entertainment district. It would also stop the money sucking from Grand Falls and provide millions in tax revenue towards the state and city.

Secondly, it is also about opportunity. Royal River tried to convince the city (mostly the former mayor) to go into talks about locating by the intersections of I-90 and I-29 before we built the Denty. They promised the city a yearly payment to use towards the Denty’s mortgage. I believe the amount was between $6-10 million a year, but I don’t recall. TenHaken’s current COS Erica Beck was in talks with Royal River when she was the former urban planner and tried to convince Former Mayor Wear a Cowboy Hat Backwards to talk to them. He refused saying he hated gambling. While I agree I am not a big fan of video lottery, I’m not to opposed to a full-service casino entertainment center, especially since a lot of that money now is being spent in Iowa, it would just get transferred to our economy.

It will be interesting to see if talks will be renewed under a TenHaken administration with Beck back in public service.

1st Amendment Open Government Open Meetings SF City Council Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls City Council wants public input on public input (when most of us are working)

l3wis 2Comments

The Sioux Falls City Council will be taking input on public input at a working session on Tuesday at 3 PM at Carnegie. You know, when most people will be working. Would have been nice to move the meeting to at least 5 PM. But like most things the council would prefer NOT to have public input, so why would they want public input on public input?

The more I think about it, moving the public input to the back of the meeting could cause some serious unintended consequences. Now with input at the beginning, a lot of the commenters come, say their peace and go home. I could see a scenario where if they had to sit through the meeting a couple of things could happen.

First off, they would see how the sausage is made, which could be a positive or a negative thing depending on the agenda. They may start actually seeing how this council rubberstamps all tax and fee increases and hands out corporate welfare. This actually could make the meetings a lot longer because while waiting for actual public input, citizens could be coming up and commenting on all the agenda items, and it may not be nice, and could be time consuming.

Or, if public input is at the end, they could be upset about a vote the council made earlier in the meeting and let them have it. That could get very ugly.

It’s best just to leave it as is. Give the chair more latitude (per state law) to limit certain speakers and make it a day.

Marty Jackley

Marty Jackboots tough on crime, except when it comes to his own agents

l3wis 3Comments

This is the kind of rotten individual that is running for governor. Costing taxpayers over $1.5 million to cover up a sexual harassment allegation. Marty needs to be put into retirement come June 5th.

I also find it a bit hypocritical he is complaining about this so close to the primary. You know, kind of like putting out a press release about an investigation that isn’t finished yet in a mayoral race . . . Karma’s a bi*ch isn’t Marty?

The jury is in and it wasn’t good leaving no one a winner. Laura Zylstra Kaiser of Aberdeen held a press conference at the Sioux Falls Public Library on May 23, 2018 to help us understand the case against the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and its administrator Attorney General Marty Jackley. The Jury found in her favor the checks never seem to arrive until now.

It seems a Brown County Sheriff’s deputy was harassing DCI agent Kaiser in 2011. Kaiser reported it to his and her superiors with no support from them. As a result, she received a demotion and then because the supervisors said she didn’t play nice with the harasser, a move to Pierre.

In an attempt to help her set the record straight and save her eight year career she appealed to Marty Jackley the head of DCI. It didn’t go well. The grievance process in place failed her so she had to take legal action.

In December 2017, an Aberdeen Federal Jury found her story credible and awarded her $1.2 million:

– $400,000 for mental anguish, emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of reputation and other damages.

– $311,812 for lost wages

– $498,929 for lost benefits

The state screwed around causing her there were more expenses and losses to cover. The final bill for the state was $1.5 million after the Federal Judge threatened to put state employees responsible for handing over the checks in jail for contempt of court.

By the way, can you identify the trackers recording then quickly leaving the presser? Which campaigns does each belong to?

 

Developers Development Erica Beck Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

TenHaken’s COS Erica Beck promises more transparency w/RFPs

l3wis 7Comments

I’m guessing, and hoping that Beck realizes that when the RFP process is more open and transparent, the public is more likely to go along with it, or at least understand it. Transparency probably also saves the city a lot in legal fees and counseling.

Beck also wants to have a more consistent proposal, or RFP, process for developers, along with more transparency.

While I am glad to hear about more transparency, I’m still a little nervous about gearing up for more developer welfare;

“Our community is at a critical stage in terms of growth. We have to address that growth and understand how we’re going to encourage growth in the future and what kind of growth we need,” Beck said.

While I will agree we are a ‘critical stage’ I look at it as revitalizing the core and pulling the reigns back a bit on more urban sprawl. Growth for ‘growth’s sake’ isn’t always a great idea. I guess I have been of the opinion the city should focus on the core more and if developers want to continue to push our boundaries they can pay a premium price for the infrastructure.

SF City Council Sioux Falls

Where is the Sioux Falls City Council’s REAL agenda?

l3wis 2Comments

I had someone call me today wondering where online they can find ALL the meetings Sioux Falls City Councilors attend, like the City, County & School meeting this morning at HyVee or the Tuesday night council Din-Din.

I tried to find it HERE, but no luck.

The Minnehaha County Commission lists ALL of their meetings where there may be a quorum.

While council staff could slap some piece of paper to the front door of Carnegie to avoid open meetings violations, I’m going to say that is a cop out. Our council staff combined salaries are well over a half million a year, there really is NO reason why this could not be posted online in a timely manner.

Maybe REAL change could happen if the City Council had an ACTUAL certified city clerk?

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