DakotaNews chief softball pitcher, Brian Allen, recently did an interview with Paul asking him what we should focus on in 2023. Paul said it was time to get back to focusing on infrastructure.
I guess it only took 5 years for Paul to figure out the simple premise of local municipal government; you collect taxes and fees and provide essential services like road maintenance, water and sewer, public safety and outdoor recreation in our parks.
Ever since Mayor Munson, the city has focused more and more on chipping away at our 2nd penny for things like leather chairs for a private movie theater, landscaping and ‘other stuff’ for a private research facility, butterflies and tennis courts while giving massive tax breaks to welfare queen developers.
When former city commissioner Loila Hunking proposed the 2nd penny tax decades ago it was to be in a lockbox and only to be used on road maintenance and in rare occasions other infrastructure projects, since then the penny has been on a wild spending spree that has little to do with the pothole in front of your house.
It often cracks me up listening to past and current mayors and city councilors talk about how we need to ‘get back to’ focusing on infrastructure.
Don’t be fooled by the promises. There is going to be a big fight in Pierre this winter over reducing the food tax and property taxes, one of the proposals will win at the end of the day (I think the property tax cut has a better chance). Mayors and councilors across the state will be crying about the revenue loss and will be asking how they will be able to keep up with essential services and infrastructure.
Let me give you a little advice; stop spending our tax dollars on stupid sh!t.
There could be a mass migration to surrounding cities. A new water plant is needed. Real estate prices must come down. Crime is rampant. Stop TIF gifts to campaign contributors. Impose competitive bid practice and eliminate inflated cost plus contracts.
I don’t know if you’re above advice is solid… Have you seen that awesome expensive media room that the mayor had built….. That’s pretty important, some even say more important than infrastructure as it’s his image.
The potholes on east 10th, especially for east bound traffic, are getting really bad. #Beware!
( and Woodstock adds: “Say, VSG, isn’t it about time for you to tell your Letterman joke for the fourth time about how one of the potholes is so big that it has its own gift shop?”…. 🙂 )
“Oh yes, oh yes, the once again infrastructure promise, indeed”…. “I remember the last time it was promised”… “I still keep a newspaper clipping of it next to my clipping concerning Trump’s health care plan”…. “Oh yes, oh yes”….
#IWouldRatherBeInPhiladelphiaRightNow
“Say, does that gift shop carry xxxxxs t-shirts?”…. (…. “and with Dua on them?”…. 😉 ) #DreamOn
the current mayor has been committed to roads and infrastructure his entire term. But today, we are busy digging each other out, so lets have a heart …
Maybe, I’m just too stupid, but, if House members haven’t been sworn in yet because there is no current speaker, then how can they vote for a speaker with any legal standing?
The House Republicans are still experiencing January 6th, but in slow motion.
Trump has not killed our democracy, yet. But he has destroyed the US House. It’s like a cancer. It’s time for the radiation and/or chemo therapy.
The voting for speaker but not being sworn in yet is a Catch-22, or an egg and chicken thing. Which puts in question all federal legislation ever passed. But one thing is definitely certain, however, so far McCarthy has laid an egg…
Surprised the mayor didn’t proclaim it selfie day.