Downtown Sioux Falls

More lawsuits against the city of Sux Falls

l3wis May 19, 2011 9Comments

While our Mayor is dreaming about Events Centers, cotton candy and streets paved of gold, it seems he has to deal with another lawsuit spawned by the past administration. Nevermind the one that was postponed this week about sewer backups from several years ago – remember when we got like 20 inches of rain in 2 days? (yes, kids, this is our very expediate judicious system). Nope this one is about charging businesses that don’t benefit from promoting entertainment and hospitality downtown to paying extra property taxes for promotion they don’t receive;

The lawsuit from Red Buffalo Trading Co. Inc. comes eight months after a similar lawsuit from Ronning Cos. and two months before the City Council votes on whether to renew the tax assessment.

The legal battles, as well as increasing expectations for DTSF from the public, could lead to changes in the way DTSF is financed.

Twenty-two percent of DTSF’s money is from the assessment collected by the Main Street Business Improvement District (BID). That’s why DTSF president Jason Dennison said finding a way to maintain the assessment while still satisfying the group’s membership is crucial.

“Without our member-sponsors and the assessment, we really wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” Dennison said.

What do you do? I think it is time to pull the plug on DTSF. Downtown is prospering fine on it’s own, and downtown businesses can do what other businesses do on their own, MARKET THEMSELVES! It’s time to get rid of this special interest front. We already have a Chamber of Commerce, why do DT businesses need a special marketing organization?

Is DTSF awash in money due to special assessments? Seems so.

l3wis August 10, 2010 5Comments

This is what your extra property tax money goes towards.

The organization, Downtown Sioux Falls is using special assessments to TAKE money from businesses that DO NOT benefit from the assessment. I don’t think Christmas decorations and flower baskets is a wise use of taxpayer money, especially in this economy, and if a business is not benefitting from the assessment they should be able to opt out (Item #13) If you watch the video you will see they really don’t explain where businesses are benefitting from the assessments. Councilor Kenny Anderson was the ONLY councilor who had the guts to vote NO.

A RESOLUTION  FORMTEXT APPROVING THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR THE MAIN STREET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD:

Section 1. That the special assessment roll for the Main Street Business Improvement District in the City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is hereby approved and the assessment as set out in said special assessment roll approved this date is hereby levied against the property described therein and becomes a lien against such property upon filing of said special assessment roll in the City Finance Office.

Section 2. Industrial property shall be exempt from assessment. Single-family and two-family dwelling units shall also be exempt. Residential rental property whose sole use is residential and which contains more than two units, will be assessed one-half the set amount.

Section 3. Said assessment may be paid in one annual installment based on the assessed valuations of the property adjusted each year and shall be collected under Plan One—Collection by County Treasurer as provided in SDCL 9-43.