In response to the county commission’s consideration of an opt-out of property tax limits, Heather Smith, the executive director of the ACLU of South Dakota, sent the attached letter to the Minnehaha County Commissioners this afternoon. She’s also planning to attend the meeting on July 10.
DOC: ACLU SD ltr to Minnehaha County Commission PDF
Please take a look at the attached letter, but in brief, the ACLU of South Dakota is asking Minnehaha County Commissioners to shift away from funding incarceration and raising property taxes to find new approaches to our current criminal justice system. Our “tough-on-crime†policies have led to more arrests and increased costs, but don’t actually do anything to address the underlying causes of crime. Though the Commission may not have direct control over things such as who is charged with a crime and how many people are incarcerated in the county’s jail, it certainly has influence. There are myriad reforms that could be made on the local and state level that would keep our communities safe while also cutting costs.
In light of this proposed property tax opt-out and the school board’s proposal for its own opt-out, surely we could be looking at some alternatives so that the burden on Sioux Falls taxpayers/property owners isn’t so great.
Janna Farley, Communications Director, American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota
DaCola Notes: In my conversation with commissioner Barth about the matter, I told him that the CC needs to have more control over the State’s Attorney’s Office when it comes to expenditures with certain prosecution cases.
I asked the ACLU to become involved with my due process case in 2008 against the city of Sioux Falls. They seriously contemplated doing so. At the time, they had just established an office in the state and were occupied with cases on Indian reservations. It sounds like they are now ready to investigate other constitutional and civil rights actions. The Opt Out scheme deserves attention. I’m hoping the right case will come soon challenging undemocratic Home Rule Charter.
Crime is gaining a solid foothold in Sioux Falls. One of the reasons is that police already take a pass on some criminal acts (not apparently worth their time to solve and prosecute). “Call the non-emergency number. They’ll jot down the info and give you a report nunber.”
Not certain that a softer approach to a rising crime problem in this city is warranted.
Were they to be equal opportunity actions, would the ACLU support the vigilante actions of “Paul Kersey”? (Movie reference to “Death Wish”). Because that may be necessary to clean up this town. Too many with no respect or regard for anybody, nor anything (including law enforcement).
Do we really want the Commission telling the State’s Attorney what to or not to do? How is that any different from Trump wanting to control Sessions and the Justice Department?
i don’t know about anyone else, but i’ve been noticing a lot of gang graffiti around town recently.
My wife and I have noticed dozens of graffiti tags around town. On street signs, construction site areas, electrical boxes, etc. It is getting hard not to notice some nefarious goings-on in this town.
Perhaps, the graffiti on railcars especially comes from having them now sit near neighborhoods that until recently they did not occupy….
#HighSpeedTrainsBrandon