I will try to keep my predictions to local issues, even though some overlap with state and national issues. I will be honest with you, until Disco Taco brought up the topic, I really haven’t thought about it much. When asked about my personal goals for 2019, I keep it simple; build an outdoor studio, paint more and possibly travel out of the country.
So I really want to hear from you. Tell me what you think will happen in 2019.
Here are mine. I will try to start on a positive note;
• Sioux Falls Housing Market. I think this will finally level out and become easier to find affordable homes.
• Public Transit. I think that there will be some early positive changes in 2019. BUT, I think fixing the transit system will take time, with a trial and error approach.
• I think the Billion’s Black Iron project will not only change, but will be tanked all together. I think a different developer will swoop in and take over the area. The story now is the Lloyd Companies are now interested in the property. This is just a rumor at this point, but we will just have to wait and see.
• I think a crap load of TIFs will be proposed, everything from the RR redevelopment area, to the Sioux Steel location and the 85th exchange. I actually believe this is the biggest volcano waiting to erupt in 2019 and the one to watch. It may actually take a citizen petition drive to change the way TIFs are used in Sioux Falls. A former legislator suggested instead of TIFs;
There is a Federal program for polluted areas called Brownfield reclamation program and that should give them all the money they need.
While I understand what he is referring to, I think it has to be requested by the city and not the private developer. I have often suggested that the city SHOULD clean the blighted land first, than sell it, so we can avoid TIFs.
• Transparency in City Government will continue to be under attack. Besides the slow burn of trying to kill public input, I have heard rumblings about how the Mayor’s office is holding back information to certain city councilors for bargaining chips. I know, this has been going on since the Munson days, but I think the TenHaken administration is going to get more vicious with it. This would also be a great thing to petition about, making public records more open and putting it in charter.
• Speaking of petition drives, there have been several ideas thrown around. Everything from fixing sidewalks to trimming trees to public safety. I have suggested that all of the ideas need to be filed at the same time so multiple petitions can be circulated at the same time. I think this will be far more efficient and have a greater impact. Expect something coming forward in 2019.
• I think the National economy is going to take a turn for the worse. Not as bad as 2008, but with inevitable indictments for the president over tax evasion and Russian ties, Wall Street will get nervous.
Locally we will suffer because of the idiotic agricultural product trade wars Trump has created. Believe it or not, when rural SD, IA and MN don’t do well in the region, Sioux Falls hurts. While we did better than expected in 2018, I expect us to be pretty flat in 2019 for sales tax collection, around 2-3%.
• Restaurant implosion. This is something I have seen coming for a long time in Sioux Falls. The SF health department inspects over 1,000 food service establishments in Sioux Falls. Not all are sit down, full service restaurants, but you get the drift. I think the small time entrepreneur will say good bye and a lot of fringe franchises will close. The big barf bags like Applebees & Chilis will survive, so will the organized smaller local franchises and established fast food places. What you will see though is something that is good for the consumer, restaurants that provide good service, terrific food, and consistency at a reasonable price. Even if I am wrong about this prediction, can’t one dream a little? I used to joke about 5 years ago, “700 restaurants in Sioux Falls, but not a decent place to eat.”
• Sioux Falls is about to get stinkier. With the Smithfield plant almost doubling hog butchering, let’s just hope most of the wind this year is coming from the South.
Tell me what you think!
Couldn’t agree more on the restaurant comment. We’ve almost become satisfied with mediocrity in the food scene around here. I’d love to see something other than more pizza, burgers or taco joints. Some more original places or tap houses with beer specials, some variety, and most the food isn’t done in a fryer
You, young sir, make some of the most realistic predictions in the blogging world. Add that the mayor fellow you guys have will probably continue to grow his influence and support because he is not insaner than most.
OK, you asked
Travel with me. I viewed Thailand and the Caribbean as possible retirement retreats. Portugal is the latest refuge.
Trump will not be re-elected. There will be turmoil in agricultural and financial markets. China and Russia will be new world powers. Russia has a new nuke that’s faster than can be defended. Time for a first strike?
Locally, fed and TIF will and has already dried up. There will be resourceful growth from local untaxed talent. The new eating out entertainment will be food trucks. TenHaken? Who? He has no budget for policy. His tenure is but something to put on his resume. Lyft, Uber, and electric cars will replace Billion dealers. Empty dealerships will become palaces for skateboarding. The Empire Mall will become an inner city with ranch floor condos and senior (other than Sanford) health subcenters. 8th and Railroad wil have a few stores with some traffic. It will be labeled as Old District with pubs and street food with entertainment value like Bew Orleans Bourbon Street.
City government will always be laughable unenforceable attempt. Police will arrest but the county will turn away unsubstantiated jail tennents. It’s unaffordable if you test more than .08 and have less than an ounce of weed. Get arrested, there’s no record keeping and they’ll let you go the next day. You might meet a better pot resource in jail.
When citizens have better video defense than police, litigation favors civil liberty. GET CAMERAS, it’s how police defend their actions.
I would love to see more variety when it comes to places to eat around here. Sure we are getting more restaurants, but the menus are too similar to those already here.
If there are going to be a lot of TIFs, I don’t think it is going to help the housing market because property owners are going to keep seeing their taxes increase; more of the apartments going up around town are causing prices to stay up and increase due to demand for single families homes versus availability will be high but then factor in with the HGTV movement (new homeowners want better than their parents without going through a starter home phase, homes that are not filled the latest and greatest will sit on market longer and will have to go through one or two price drops).
Not sure what Russian ties you are speaking of since there has yet to be one single solid evidence proving such and has all been hearsay and speculation. Two years of an investigation that has shown nothing of the sort.
Erica, you are correct, TIFs only increase the taxes on the rest of us. Time to eliminate them.
The Russian investigation is NOT closed yet because I believe Mueller is finding all sorts of things. There have been gobs of stories in international news about Trump’s ties to the Russian mafia and his tax evasion. I just watched a 3-Part series ran on Australia’s NBC affiliate in June about Trump’s ties to the Russian Mafia. I believe the American press is scared of him and they like to ‘fluff’ things.
I predict that DTSF will get a baseball stadium.
I predict DTSF will see as many business failures in 2019 as it has in any given year of the past decade. Affordable housing will continue to be unaffordable to the MEDIAN income earner. Taxes of every shape and variety will continue to rise. Parking rates will rise. Sewer rates will rise. Water rates will rise. In short, Anything the city can raise rates on, they will. All in the name of making SF VIBRANT, the shining city on the hill. Rental rates will rise. Rise, rise, rise, anything and everything, meanwhile SF MEDIAN wages will remain stagnant. Retirees on fixed incomes will desert this town faster than rats off a sinking ship.
Reckless and vanity driven ideas from a mayor and approving council put this city where it is over the past decade. It has spent itself into a corner a lot of folks can no longer afford. Hopefully a year from now I will be reading this blog from a bordering county of Minnehaha/Lincoln.
PS. Erica…cohen, manafort, Flynn convictions are the tip of the iceberg. This thing will close in on trumps kids next, then the ultimate tax and draft dodgin king himself.
Here are a few predictions for 2019, that I came up with.
Now, these predictions come from my gut, or my gut instinct. I tend not to read much or lesson to others and rely heavily upon my own intuition, because I am a course the local “Very Stable Geniusâ€â€¦â€¦So, here we go….. Enjoy!…..:
A Trump 2020 campaign headquarters will appear in a Sioux Falls strip mall wedged between an Orange Julius and an Orangetheory.
In July, time travelers will be spotted hooking up their DeLorean to the Arc of Dreams in hope of obtaining 1.21 gigawatts.
Having successfully put in place the necessary “Leadership Teams†so Sioux Falls can run on its own, Mayor Ten Haken will then announce his resignation as Mayor, so that he can then devote full time to botting for “Rounds’ 2020.â€
Old business foundations from the past will begin to reappear in the interior first floor of the new hotel/ramp project in true “Poltergeist fashion.â€
A new postcard like picture framing image – offered by Snapchat – will allow tourists to take pictures of themselves in front of the Arc of Dreams, and then send them to friends and family via Snapchat with a postcard like caption reading: “Hello from Baghdad!†(Or, is that Tijuana?)
Dillard’s will hold a press conference to admit that they were just kidding.
Giliberto’s will continue to expand with a new mega Mexican fast food location in the once Sears spot at the Empire Mall…. Rumor will also have it, that ‘Wilbur the Coyote’ – from “Gigglebees Pizza†fame – will be working at that new location, too.
The City Council will ponder the idea of placing a special surtax upon homes painted externally taupe.
Councilwoman Stehly will begin to hit the meat and mashed potato circuits in Iowa and New Hampshire in hopes of a 2020 run.
Finding out that the job is more difficult than realized, Governor Kristi Noem will expand her work week from Tuesday thru Thursday to Monday thru Thursday at noon.
Due to the high cost of rent in Pierre, Kennedy Noem will live full-time in the Governor’s Mansion, while her folks will retreat back to Castlewood, whenever possible.
2019 could be the year for the inevitable sinkhole at Lake Lorraine, too.
After having accidentally booked a flight to Sioux City, Potsdam officials will eventually make it to Sioux Falls in time to party with local officials at GermanFest…. (“Vhat dis thist?…..Thist dis naught rite!…â€)
Governor Kristi Noem, in her first address before the state legislature as governor, will call for a cut in the state income tax….. (“But, she accused Billie of….. (“What?….. (“Whatever?!â€â€¦.(HUH?!))))
In April, incumbents of the Sioux Falls School Board will be re-elected by astonishing 93 to 97 percent margins, causing then both Putin and Kim Jong-un to send congratulatory telegrams to them all.
The Trump Recession will – for sometime – solve the traffic bottlenecking in front of the tracks on Cliff Avenue.
A temporary carnival will be set up at the old east bank railroad switching area, and such a reality will then be dubbed by the local media as the first example of “…..true east bank development.â€
A Sioux Falls Police Department promotional video will go viral putting the City on the map for thieves and robbers.
Winn Chill will spring a leak causing the average temperature in Sioux Falls for the months of July and August to lower by 25 degrees before local officials eventually find the cause.
Simthfield will be flooded out after a Park employee forgets – for once – to turn the Falls off from 2 to 7am.
A mountain lion will be spotted at Lyon Park…. And after having come from a pride convention held at the Lion Centennial Park.
RibFest will return under new branding, that calls it: ‘RibletFest’….. (“What about ‘McRibFest?’â€)
The “Chicken Wars†will continue in Sioux Falls in 2019 with KFC joining forces with its fellow Confederate partner, Popeyes.
Vinyl Taco will open to a great yawn…. With some fearing, however, an eventual “Taco War†in Sioux Falls……. While with some hoping that it will all just lead to the best chicken tacos in town.
Local TV stations will begin to devote their entire 30 minute news programs to weather with the news only being reported when absolutely necessary…. Like a human interest story about the impact of a tornado on a community for instance….
Caring City officials will sponsor a block party at Van Eps Park, which will then get out of hand.
Romantix will file a lawsuit to have the City Center demolished, claiming that the CC does not meet historic preservation standards for that neighborhood in the once true fashion of Studio One, The Pomp Room, NiteCity, CJ’s unclothed bars, and the current Romantix….
Building permit numbers will surpass an all time high in 2019, as the “Little House Trend†hits Sioux Falls in an attempt to address the affordable housing crisis in our fine city with a “little†catchy jingle about, “Little Houses on the Prairie,†being used to help…..
Brandon will sue Sioux Falls over the loss of Huset’s, claiming that Chuck Brennan as an ex-Sioux Fallsian is a product of Sioux Falls like a minor to a parent, and thus, the parent must be held financially responsible.
The once Badlands Pawn location will be leased by ‘Beto-Billie 2020′ enthusiasts……(“That’s not a “Bad†idea†…(“But a tongue twister thoughâ€)….. 😉 )
The “Taupe Housing Society of Conformity†will file for Super PAC status.
Air Force One will be forced to make an emergency landing in one of those “Shxthole Countries.â€
The City will announced in May, that water and sewer rates will be going up only 200% with the prior erroneously reported 300% claim to be “totally off the wall and utterly ridiculous.â€
Mayor Ten Haken will drop his job performance rating for President Trump from a “B†to a “B-,“ after the Trump recession causes local sales tax receipt numbers to hit “F†levels…. (“Like, WTF?â€)…..
‘White Wall Sessions’ will be replaced by reruns of ‘The Caribou Show.’ While KSFY will begin ‘Black Wall Sessions’ showing holographical images like the Beatles best performances, with KDLT playing ‘Star Search’ reruns during that same time slot.
The new high school will be the first one named with an asterisk. As it will be known as the ‘Jefferson High School*;’ with the asterisk noting that, although, Jefferson was a slave owner, the School Board thought it was imperative to still name it after him, in order, to successfully complete the Mt. Rushmore motif with our high schools…. And in an attempt to cool off tempers about the naming, the Board will also announce that they plan to name the new Jefferson High dance team, ‘The Sally Hemingsers*.’
Just for fun, Republican colleagues will often stick newly elected Congressman, Dusty Johnson, into a House ‘Members Only’ elevator and not let him out until he tries on the “Elevator Boy†outfit that the colleagues all chipped in to buy for him…
‘KELOLAND Living’ will go into syndication with hopes of replacing the ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ in 2020.
Fundraisers for the State Theater restoration project will announce that, “We’re getting there!†and sport buttons on their lapels at a press conference, which proclaim, “WGT!â€
Local Lyft drivers will go on strike causing local former cab drivers to work as scabs for Lyft, who will then be dubbed as “Cab Scabs.†(“It was horrible, I had to take a ride home with a ‘Cab Scab’ the other night from the bar, and he was driving a rusty ’82 K-car, too.â€)
JazzFest will announce its first ever rap headline performer.
City officials will once again go gangbusters about TIFs with a promotional song entitled, “Take a Bite out of Blight.â€
Via Michael Cohen, a $29000 payment will be made to the City to hush concerns about the security costs for the past September Trump/Noem event.
In early January, recently re-elected County Auditor, Bob Litz, will claim he found some more ballots, which will then cause former State Representative, Mike Clark, to turn around his southern bound RV.
Newly sworn in Attorney General, Jason Smorgasborg, will be overheard saying, “When do we get to go to Court?…..Cool!â€
It will be learned in 2019, that Senator Thune is not happy with his new number two spot in the Senate; because now during press conferences its harder to see him on TV, unlike when he was the tall, tan, and handsome “Number Three Guy.†who stood right behind the left shoulder of Leader McConnell…
In an air of bipartisanship and reconciliation, Governor Noem will proclaim ranking Commissioner and lone Democrat on the Commission, Jeff Barth, the Chairman of the Minnehaha County Commission, but only for one day and on a day that the Commission is not in session.
The Goodyear Blimp will not appear over Sioux Falls in 2019.
Chairwoman Tornberg will be re-elected as Chair of the SDDP in March with the unknown help of Republican operatives, (Paul and his Russian friends most likely) who will secretly act as Democrats and organize unorganized counties, in order, to help Tornberg gain the necessary county weighted votes for re-election. It will also be learned later, that this Republican covert act was done to assure that everything stays the same in South Dakota.
A little known phenomenon, known as a reverse sinkhole (It’s how Devil’s Tower was created actually), will cause Seney Island to reappear, causing the iconic yellow, but rusty, Sioux Steel sign to collapse into the Sioux River and then float down to the Falls were the force of the cascade will stab the sign into the bottom of the river, yet, still primarily exposed in a truly erected triangle frame formation above the cascade’s rocky cliffs; which in turn, will cause foreign Japanese tourists to ponder, “Is that the Arc of Dreams?â€â€¦.(“No, but I think it’s what’s left of the Zip Feed building, however….â€)
A fierce spring storm will cause lightening to strike the old Minnehaha County Courthouse clock tower, resulting in the Fawick Flyer automobile, which is displayed inside there, to bolt out the 6th Street courthouse door and up Main Street to the total astonishment of a bunch of drunk outdoor patrons at Wiley’s, who will then witness the Flyer fly by them and barely miss a pedal pub as it heads up Main Street filled with the likes of ghostly passengers like, Thomas Fawick, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dave Dedrick……with Bill Janklow at the wheel…
Former mayor, Mike Huether, will be spotted frequenting local axe bars wearing a plaid shirt and jeans in true Gary Hart fashion.**
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/presidential-election-race-starts-itn-lib-28-2-84-gary-news-footage/814663432
State Investigators will discover – that in an attempt to save money – the water for the Aquatic Center actually comes from filtered waste from the nearby VA Hospital.
Due to an awful drought in the summer of 2019, Minnehaha Country Club officials will be forced to borrow once again a Sanford helicopter, but this time to spray the course green in preparation for the second annual Sanford International.
Due to declining participation and in an attempt to save traditions, local civic leaders will announce in 2019, that beginning in 2020, the JazzFest, the Sidewalk Arts Festival, the Festival of Lights, RiverFest, and GermanFest, will all be combined into one, one day event, called Farts Fest…I mean, Arts Fest.
Oh, and the only prediction that I think is shaky is the one about the Goodyear Blimp. 🙂
While a lot of your predictions were hilarious, this was my favorite;
“In an air of bipartisanship and reconciliation, Governor Noem will proclaim ranking Commissioner and lone Democrat on the Commission, Jeff Barth, the Chairman of the Minnehaha County Commission, but only for one day and on a day that the Commission is not in session.”
We need to pick on Jeff more.
Jeff’s a good sport. He can handle it.
caribou show reruns are replacing “beards and banjos” on kelo? i can’t wait to relive the glory days of the munson administration!
I can’t wait to see the rerun of the “Janklow driving school.”
I was wondering who was going to haul out the caribou show…. I think they’re the ones that gave us little chuckie brennan
someone remake teh weather-Ball to indicate wtf is currently makeing the air stink in town. its not just smithfield.
SF has a long, long history of fighting over swimming pools.
My prediction: As soon as Park and Rec releases the results of their latest master plan STUDY, the ‘swimming pool fight’ will begin.
My prediction: TenHaken’s new IT Director with the high school diploma will fail to find a solution to the public transit mess. Others have tried, but no one wants to take on the elephant in the room: THE COST OF MAINTAINING PARATRANSIT.
Time for the non-profits (Sanford, Avera, DakotaAbilities, LifeScape…..) to step up to the plate and shoulder the true cost of transporting their clients. Also, past time to enforce the outer boundaries in SF of who ParaTransit serves.
My prediction: our new mayor will be lost without his policy wonk, Erica Beck, when she moves on to replace Director Cooper who is retiring.
Agree with Daily Spin: TenHaken has no budget for policy. His tenure is but something to put on his resume.