Gas Tax

The 1st Amendment and the Sioux Falls City Council

It seems I am spending a lot of time these days talking about the role of the council and the 1st Amendment. The thing that always puzzles me is that the 1st Amendment is NOT complicated, but folks struggle with it.

So today HB Bill 1050 got killed, by a ONE VOTE in taxation committee. Several folks were instrumental in killing this bill. It would have pretty much put a $450M tax debt on the citizens of Sioux Falls if passed. I posted Greg Neitzert’s written testimony after the hearing. I truly believe that testimony changed minds, and Cathy B’s telephone testimony cinched the deal. I also emailed the committee suggesting amendments and solutions (I think it would be good for small towns, but NOT SF.)

After this I assumed city hall was reeling, trying to figure out their next steps (I will post later about the future of the Riverline District).

But things got really interesting.

I’m going to leave the constituent’s name out of this for privacy reasons, and the city councilor, because I think it applies to the ENTIRE council.

Their is a constituent that emails the mayor and the council quite a bit, he is very involved in local politics, and I don’t always agree, but he always CC’s me in the emails so I am a media witness (I think I told him to do this). I have several concerned citizens that CC me when sending emails to the city council and I encourage you to CC me, witnesses are important.

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I sometimes do a reply all to their emails if I feel something needs to be clarified or piled onto.

After I posted Former Sioux Falls City Councilor Greg Neitzert’s* submitted written testimony to the taxation committee on the blog this constituent emailed the council with Greg’s testimony and a brief statement about his work. This person called the council ‘CORRUPT’ three times, but in fair context and NOT harassment. Then he said that Greg has ‘LARGE BALLS’. Trust me, I spit out my coffee when I read that, but it’s NOT a threat or harassment. In fact, Neitzert saw the email and thot it was funny. So a newly elected city councilor wasn’t having it and reported the email to Human Resources as harassment. HOGWASH! Not only is this constituent completely harmless they wouldn’t hurt a soul, but that doesn’t matter. This NEW councilor seems to think that he is a city employee and has the same protections, he does not, YOU ARE ELECTED and must follow the constraints of the 1st Amendment and the US Constitution. Now if such an email was sent to an unelected city employee, that would be an issue. So the city’s HR department warned this constituent if they send anymore ‘Harassing Emails’ they will be blocked. First off, they don’t have that authority because this person is NOT a city employee, secondly, sending an email about concerns is NOT threatening. It often puzzles me that they put their hand on a bible and swear an oath to the Constitution but have no idea what is in the document. If you can’t handle the heat in the Carnegie Kitchen may I suggest resignation. Nobody will miss yah. The irony of all this is this councilor was in a similar situation at a former employer. Kettle meet Black.

*Full disclosure, I worked on Greg’s first term campaign coordinating his messaging, graphic design, marketing and direct mail, it was one of the most successful campaigns I was involved with, we kicked ass and took names!

UPDATE: Legislature wastes no time trying to increase taxes for a convention center in Sioux Falls

UPDATE: The argument the reps will use who support this is that smaller communities in SD need this tax leverage, for needed infrastructure, which I support 100%, but Sioux Falls doesn’t need this. Some have been suggesting to reps amend the bill so 1st class cities like SF and RC cannot get this kind of tax leverage, I would also make it so the bonds have to be for NEEDED infrastructure in their communities, not play palaces.

As I have been saying, no new convention center will be built without a tax increase. The city cannot borrow $400 million without another revenue source (full doc);

So the Municipal League suckered a retired business owner in Ft. Pierre to carry their water. Hey Mike, ever read your own campaign materials from your website?

To review my credentials, I am a conscientious, common-sense Republican who is respectful of our institutions, values, and the rewards created by investing in our people and relying on free enterprise to create opportunities for the betterment of our society. 

Hey Mike, why not take your own advice and let the private sector build this Convention Center. Seems hypocritical of your ‘values’ supporting a tax increase for essentially a white elephant we don’t need.

You will notice they will try to pass this saying that it is NOT a tax increase but an OPTION for voters. It would need a 60% passage by a citizen vote in the city that wants the increase. So how the city plan to have us vote on this? Will we vote first on a tax increase THEN vote on the CC or will we just put it in one package? I am hoping the Legislature kills this, but stranger things have happened. These taxes will also NOT go away when the CC is paid off. The entertainment tax was supposed to sunset after the CC and Pavilion bonds were paid off, guess what, still throwing money at it. The Municipal League has been lobbying for this for years. Please stop! It infuriates me that my tax dollars fund this lobbyist group and all they do is find ways to tax the living Sh!t out of us. Nobody wants to pay more in taxes for another play palace. They really need their heads examined in Pierre.

SD’s chief teabagger, Howie, comes to the realization that ‘taxpayers’ are the actual people who pay ‘taxes’

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I still laugh in amazement that this dill weed is running for governor;

By 2012, the state would gain an extra $54 million a year in revenue from the gas tax and excise tax on vehicle sales, while local governments would get an additional $30 million a year from the boost in registration fees.

The main opposition to the measure at Wednesday’s hearing came from Sen. Gordon Howie, R-Rapid City, a committee member who is running for governor.

“This $84 million will come straight out of the pockets of the taxpayers of this state,” Howie said.

Get outta here! You mean taxpayers pay taxes! Where did you hear such nonsense Gordo? At a tea party?

Sen. Mike Vehle, chairman of the committee, said the measure is needed to prevent South Dakota’s roads from deteriorating. He said the taxes and fees are really user fees imposed on those who use the roads.

“If you don’t want to use the roads, you don’t have to pay the fee,” Vehle said.

Exactly. While I think this is a horrible time to raise taxes I do think the gas tax, excise tax and registration fee increases are the best ways to pay for roads. Tax the people who are using the roads. Maybe Howie has a better idea? Maybe we should increase taxes on food, cut education spending in half and use that money on roads?

A gas tax makes sense if it is spent wisely

Though I am not big on raising taxes, gas taxes are the best way to pay for roads. Typically larger vehicles use more gas and cause more wear and tear to the roads, it is a tax that makes sense;

Some lawmakers think raising the tax on gas by three cents a gallon could be the solution for saving South Dakota’s roads.

There is also an effort to raise licensing fees, which I support, I think they are pretty low in South Dakota. What I don’t support is the inequality in that proposal;

The bill will also raise licensing fees for vehicles by ten dollars, and registration fees for recreational vehicles and trailers by five dollars.

If anything I think it should be $20 for recreational vehicles instead of $5. Why charge more on necessary vehicles then on luxury vehicles? Once again catering to the rich instead of the working class.

One thing we have to watch closely though is making sure this money goes towards roads and roads only. The state has a habit of saying one thing when it comes to tax dollars and doing another (Video Lottery and education funding for example). Sioux Falls pulls this crap to. The 2nd penny is supposed to be used for roads but instead the city throws it into the CIP, spending it on everything from rock and wood thingies at McKennan Park to historically correct windows on the Pavilion. If the state would spend the gas and licensing fee taxes the way it is intended we would be driving on streets and highways of gold.