A Shocking 48% increase in Food Stamp usage in Minnehaha County in one year

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For those who think Sioux Falls is sheltered from the recession, check out these numbers (Bread for the World)

• SD food stamp enrollment saw an incredible one-year increase from Sept.’08 to Sept.’09: 34% !!

Food stamps traditionally go up and down with the economy. But no one envisioned such a huge one-year increase.

(The Food Stamp program is now called SNAP.)
Find the data for your county here:
http://dss.sd.gov/foodstamps/data/foodstampdatapast/index.asp

Minnehaha County residents will be completely shocked by their 48% increase.

Let your local Social Services workers know you appreciate them. They are working hard.

One more note: Even if you include up to 4,000 households using commodities rather than food stamps (option available on reservations), there are still thousands of eligible low-income households NOT signed up for food stamps, easily 15,000 to 20,000 or more. The state should campaign for them to sign up. (It’s all federal funds.)


• Food tax refunds’ dismal reach: less than 1% of SD’s low-income population.

Only 630 households in the whole state are receiving the quarterly food tax refunds. Make sure your local media report this.

Why is it important?

• People pay a lot of money for the tax. Every year the money families pay in food tax would cover meals for 3 weeks.

• There is a movement afoot to raise sales tax for new city projects, even tho’ cities have other ways to raise funds. In an attempt to make this palatable, the draft of the state legislation says cities may refund the new tax to their low-income residents. So far, there is no effective way to do refunds. Such refund programs are inherently ineffective. People need to know, so they don’t think this option would solve the problem of a higher sales tax, and the resulting higher the cost of living.

I tried Parker’s restaurant again tonight

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The one theme I am noticing is Cajun spices. And we were told by our gracious host, Adam, that is because the chef likes cooking creole or he is from New Orleans, I can’t remember. Either way, it is tasty. I tried the Lamb sausage (a little on the dry side, but the sauce that looked like baby poop was tasty). And I also had a bowl of the terrific sausage gumbo, made perfectly.

Keep it up.

South DaCola food review (by accident)

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Tonight I had some brews and tapas at Sioux Falls newest downtown restaurant, PARKERS. I was impressed. The service was good. The food was good and original and the beer and wine selection was nice. The space was historically remodeled and pretty cool. It is in the old Hamburger Shop (best Wisconsin Cheese soup in town!) But we were not supposed to be there, I was having a brew with some new friends at the Touch of Europe and one of them thought it was open, so we walked in and got a seat, I guess they are not officially open and it was reservation only, but apparently I have some pull 🙂 so we got a seat and ate and drank for 3 hours. I highly recommend it (when it is officially open, that is)

The Rapid City Journal gets it, I wonder if the Gargoyle Leader will?

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South DaCola made the FIVES again;

Regressive taxation, in graphic detailA few years ago, the Journal Editorial Board took exception to the state’s efforts to force cities to raise taxes, particularly because the tax increase would include staple items such as food.

The state heard similar complaints from folks all over South Dakota, and in response, offered up a program by which individuals who met a certain income level could apply for relief.

Still, no matter how it’s explained, taxes on food are regressive, i.e., it most adversely affects the people who are least able to deal with it, the poor.

That’s blogger Scott Ehrisman’s argument against a current plan being floated by Sioux Falls officials to increase taxes to pay for an events center.

While Ehrisman’s conclusion that such a move is plain and simple discrimination may be hard from some people to swallow, he makes an extraordinary case against regressive taxation by offering up a graphic that shows by income bracket what percentage individuals must pay of their total earnings to such taxes.

Another case of a picture — or a line graph — is worth a thousand words.

New Bistro in SF to offer Italian, French and Cajun cuisine

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You want fish? Let’s have fish!

As I reported over a month ago, Rick Weiland’s wife, Stacy will be opening a bistro on Main Street at the end of the month. Her chef’s are trained in Italian, Cajun and French cuisine. I look forward to visiting the restaurant. I love French food and we haven’t had a place like that in Sioux Falls in a long time. Stacy and Rick also restored the space to it’s historical condition. If you know Stacy and Rick you will know they are big into historical restoration. They restored their home on Phillips Avenue to orginal condition a few years back (19th street?) and Stacy is heading up the restoration of the State Theatre. I think ‘Parkers’ (name of establishment) will be the new ‘in’ place in fine dining in Sioux Falls.

(SOURCE: Argus Leader, dead tree version)