August 2018

Sioux Falls School Bond; Is it $2 a month or early payoff?

l3wis August 9, 2018 13Comments

The more I think about the recent comments from the school district’s bond counsel about the $110 million in interest ‘scare tactic’, the more it just doesn’t add up.

On one hand they say you will pay $2 a month for $185K home valuation for the life of the loan (25 years at 4%) but on the other hand they say the $110 in interest isn’t fair because they will ‘pay it off early’.

You can’t have both!

If the loan goes the full 25 years, the $2 a month is true, and also is the $110 million in interest. If they pay it off early, they only have one way to do that, change the tax levee to bring in more money. This is the ONLY way they would pay the loan off early is if they increase taxes, which would change the $2 a month argument.

Let’s face it, this is a ‘bait and switch’. They know they will have to try to pay off these bonds ASAP so they can borrow more down the road, and the only way they will be able to do that is increasing our property taxes.

So please tell us, is it $2 a month for 25 years or early payoff for tax increases later? Still waiting for the school district to apply transparency to this process not just talk about it.

Sheriff Mike Milstead

John Michaels Forum w/Sheriff Milstead

l3wis August 9, 2018 1Comments

Milstead talks about our rising drug problem in Sioux Falls and the triage center.

Planning Commission Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Planning Department’s Jeff Schmitt trying to influence Planning Commission Members

l3wis August 9, 2018 0Comments

Jeff was at it again last night at the Planning Commission meeting (Item#12). Before the meeting he was trying to stop residents from testifying about a rezone for 3 story townhouses. He continues to say that the commission MUST rezone property based on the law. That is NOT the case. The reason we have the commission is to STOP inappropriate zoning. IF every re-zone was supposed to be approved, why even have a commission? Just send it straight to the City Council, seems like a waste of time.

During the meeting, Jeff reiterated himself and said that the commission must pass re-zones within the law. No they don’t. That is why we have them, to stop re-zones that are NOT appropriate, not to be rubber stampers that send the flaming football to the city council.

If the re-zone will have detrimental affects on the neighbors they can deny the rezone. In fact, one of the commission members, John Paulson, did VOTE NO. Was he following the law? Definitely.

Jeff is full of crap and needs to go. He shouldn’t be able to influence public officials, whether they are employees, elected or volunteer. He needs to keep his opinion out of the matter and stop trying to deflect people before the meeting in the lobby of Carnegie. It should NOT be Jeff’s concern whether something gets re-zoned or not, unless of course Jeff is getting kickbacks or a promise of a golden parachute? Are you Jeff?

There was several obvious drainage issues associated with the rezone. One home owner said he has already installed 3 sump pumps in his home since the church was built there, and said it will only get worse.

Besides Jeff, Mayor TenHaken needs to start replacing some of the commission members. If you are just going to rubber stamp all the rezones, you might as well just put monkeys up there.

Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

Are more heads going to roll at Sioux Falls City Hall?

l3wis August 9, 2018 3Comments

Apparently some directors who thought lying was par for course in the previous administration are going to find out the hard way that doesn’t fly with the new guy.

I don’t have all the details yet of who they are, but we may have to do ‘process of elimination’ at the next council meeting.

Developers Development Downtown Sioux Falls SF City Council

Surplus property denied due to tie vote by city council

l3wis August 8, 2018 9Comments

The big drama last night at the city council meeting (Item#46) was a debate on whether or not the city could determine a patch of land behind the Huey building surplus property.

Since the mayor was not present he could not break the tie, so if it is a tie without him present it fails. I agreed with 4 of them that it is surplus and they should sell it. They can determine later IMO how it can be used. The plot of land is 33 x 110 Feet directly behind the Huey, the alley would still be available.

But there was someÂ interesting things that happened. First off, no one mentioned ‘air rights’. The Huey developers could just build 12 feet above the property if the city didn’t want to sell to them.

Another unusual twist in the night was private lawyers on both sides of the debate. After they left and went outside to debate some more, cameraman Bruce reminded them it was because of us public input supporters they are now able to come to 1st readings and testify.

Some councilors were also visibly annoyed that our own planning director and assistant city attorney was trying to convince the council to vote for it as surplus. No surprise to me, I say it all the time, developers run the city and often get cityÂ directors to do their bidding. Makes you wonder just how many hours city employees spent over the past year helping to develop the Black Iron private development?

The rumor circulating is this item may come back once the mayor can come and break a tie. I still think it is surplus, but what do I know, I’m not a lawyer.

Sioux Falls School Bond; Is it $2 a month or early payoff?

John Michaels Forum w/Sheriff Milstead

Sioux Falls Planning Department’s Jeff Schmitt trying to influence Planning Commission Members

Are more heads going to roll at Sioux Falls City Hall?

Surplus property denied due to tie vote by city council

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