Unlike the last Mayor who made outrageous statements, and ramrodded outrageous projects, it seems the current Hizzoner doesn’t seem to know what he is talking about, or at least how to communicate his plans.
He talked about how he went to Haiti to learn about refugees in their country so he has a better understanding of the refugees we have in Sioux Falls. Here’s a concept Paul, why not go down to the Multi-cultural center and have some meetings with them? He feels we need to get the refugees to assimilate into Americans, okay Donald Trump. Also, though I have asked several councilors and city officials to get back to me about Public Works Director Cotter going with Paul on the missionary trip to ‘study the infrastructure’ and whether the taxpayers paid for the trip and if he used vacation time, I have heard NOTHING. I guess it would be safe to assume it was a junket for Cotter, spreading the good news of Jesus and running water on the taxpayer dime.
When Greg asked Paul about the Events Center Campus Study Book Club he told Greg that sometimes secret meetings get more things done, “Sometimes you need to shut the door to get the work done.” Which was ironic, because right after saying that he told Greg exactly what he wanted the EC Book Club to accomplish, solving the parking problems at the site by shuttling people from Downtown on concert nights. While this is a great idea, who is going to pay for it? Will this come from ticket fees? Will the artists be paying for it? Will SMG? Will the shuttles cost the concert goers as they get on the shuttle? Or will this just be ANOTHER 2nd penny subsidy to the Events Center? These are why these discussions need to be opened to the public, but on the other hand, I ask the question, what is so secretive about parking and shuttle buses? At the beginning of this topic though, Paul said it wasn’t worth discussing new development around the EC campus, because it has never worked. Well, that’s no secret.
He finished by talking about snow removal, and the wet panties it seems the last couple of mayors including Paul gets by saving snow removal money. We don’t pay our taxes so you can put it in a savings account, we pay them to PLOW SNOW!
He also talked about the Elmwood street vacation vote. He thinks the neighborhood lost by not allowing the street vacation of Elmwood. I still struggle with how taking a viable street away from a residential neighborhood is a ‘win’ for them. It’s not. I think by not closing the street both the neighborhood and Lifescape won. Lifescape can still build their parking lot, and they can still devise a safety plan. This was about GIVING taxpayer owned property worth well over a quarter million to a private organization at NO cost so they could increase the value of the property when they sell in a couple of years. I have argued for a long time that if these businesses or non-profits are requesting a street vacation they should have to pay us at least HALF of the appraised value. When we closed the street by Billion Auto we essentially GAVE a private for profit car dealership about a million dollars in property. It’s not right or fair. Enough with the corporate welfare to developers and private non-profits.
What a minute, they plan to shuttle people back and forth from downtown to alleviate the parking issue? So in other words, the EC should have been built DWNTWN like some suggested back in the day, huh?
I still like my idea. They should build a huge parking lot out by Brandon next to a new rail depot – which is waiting for the high speed trains to come to town – then we can run a light rail from that depot parking lot to the EC….
Street vacations for commercial businesses: I believe Schulte Subaru got 19th street vacated west of Minnesota Avenue (their previous dealership location), and indeed Billion Buick-GMC got a block of Spring Ave. vacated north of 41st St. I regret I don’t know the particulars of those events. Now, the “empathy bone” of the average citizen might be inclined to at least consider a street vacation for a nonprofit group that serves the disabled (consideration which Lifescape got – twice), but what justification – or municipal upside – have these car dealer retail businesses presented in favor of their being granted street vacations without purchasing the land?
“He finished by talking about snow removal, and the wet panties it seems the last couple of mayors including Paul gets by saving snow removal money. We don’t pay our taxes so you can put it in a savings account, we pay them to PLOW SNOW! A g r e e d ! So, instead of building & maintaining additional new, little used neighborhood parks in outlying areas, use the saving$ to plow ALL residents’ streets more frequently , and let residents drive to parks they want to play in – driving outlying residents would be doing anyway. The directive for a park to exist w/in a mile or two of every SF residence is an outdated model SF can no longer afford.
more of mmm’s lies exposed. at least diamond jim hasn’t made any money off the land he owns by the denty.
Is there a parking problem at the events center? I was at a Canaries game the same night as Def Leppard (sold out show somehow) and it was busy but there were still parking spots. Is parking a real problem?
the problem is people don’t like to walk.
I guess people actually do go to Canaries games! LOL.
No. Parking isn’t an issue, the issue is we built the EC in the wrong place! I think what they are trying to do is to get people who are coming in for shows to actually spend money DT. While I understand the concept, I think MMM explored the shuttle idea, I think the reason he bailed on it is because he wanted to pay for the rides out of the Bid Tax budget (that is the rumor going around anyway). PTH is going to have to have a funding source for the shuttle rides besides taxdollars. They are going to have to either pay as they get on, or add a ticket fee for the shuttles. We have long argued that the EC is this a money vacuum. The artists/promoters take the Lion’s share made at the EC, the food/bev provider takes the rest. People get off the interstate and go to the show then go home. While some people eat at the local eateries, most people spend their food and bev money at the EC itself. When I went to the Foo Fighters I ate at a restaurant on North Minnesota about a mile from the EC. It was empty. When you don’t have an entertainment complex built around the EC like they do in Lincoln, people just don’t have a desire to drive all over town to find a place eat.