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Mayor TenHaken

Mayor TenHaken SF City Council Sioux Falls

So did the taxpayers of Sioux Falls pay for the junket missionary trip to Haiti for Public Works Director Cotter?

l3wis 12Comments

I have asked several people over the past couple of months with the city, including city employees, officials and councilors to answer a simple question, “Was Mark Cotter’s trip to Haiti with Mayor TenHaken’s Christian Missionary paid for by taxpayers?” I have gotten a lot of “We’ll get back to you.” but mostly no answer. So unless the administration wants to say I’m lying and here are the receipts, it’s pretty safe to bet a NON answer means that the citizens paid for this religious trip.

This brings up some interesting points;

• Why are the taxpayers supplementing the highest paid city employee on a missionary trip?

• It goes against separation of church and state, and while I have NO problem with PTH or Cotter going on a religious missionary trip, it should be on their OWN time and OWN dime. I also commend them for doing charity work (even though there are many refugees in our own city that are suffering). But isn’t the whole point of charity, is that charity should come from the individual?

• There was a random comment thrown out there by PTH that Cotter was studying the infrastructure of the country. Is this some kind of sick joke? If this is your excuse for a junket, you really need to go back to the drawing table.

I have exhausted my search of whether we paid for the trip or not, I would hope someone from the public or in the media would at least demand an answer from the administration.

So I’m wondering Mark, do the trains run on time in Haiti? Are there any trains?

Mayor TenHaken SF City Council Sioux Falls

After the fact

l3wis 7Comments

Oh, Paul, who you fooling? The mayor’s office, directors and council leadership have been meeting for months sculpting the 2020 budget. Were there some crumbs left over that you want to share with the public? The truth is the budget should really be planned by the council, it’s kind of in the charter. And they should be planning that budget with the help of public input and public meetings or online comments thru the city website.

So when is Paul going to break the news to the public that this is just a nice gesture after the fact? It reminds me of a friend I go out to eat with frequently who always asks the server to make a suggestion and usually orders something completely opposite. He usually says something like, “Thanks, but I was kinda in the mood for pasta.” I hope the citizens are only asking for ramen noodles.

Elections Joel Dykstra Mayor TenHaken SF City Council Sioux Falls

Next Generation Leadership PAC

l3wis 6Comments

I guess one of the reasons the PAC cannot be found is because somehow the filings for the PAC have disappeared off the city’s website. I was able to get a screenshot of the last page of the PAC’s July 3rd filing thru a city contact. Curious that city employees have access to this document but citizens don’t. But I don’t have time to go into that rant and how our new innovation department is finding ways to hide information from citizens unless you have a traceable login.

You will see below in PTH’s July 3rd filing he received an almost $25K donation from the PAC. The same day, the PAC filed itself. It seems they are on a mission to recruit more candidates like Paul. God help us all!

(The rumor in political circles, and the reason Dusty Johnson had a freakout on a fellow Republican in RC recently is because they believe Rounds will not run again for senate, leaving Johnson to run for that seat and TenHaken to run for Dusty’s current seat, but like I said,  just gossip at this point.)

I also find it interesting that Joel Dykstra was not only the treasurer of PTH’s campaign but also the PAC’s. Well isn’t that convenient? You may know Joel who got his rear end kicked by Tim Johnson. But Joel is also a well known developer around town that likes any developer welfare and zoning breaks he can get from Sioux Falls taxpayers. I guess this is what they mean by ‘Next Generation’. Republican elected officials taking money from the working poor and turning into big profits for his ilk.

Joel also gave money to Alex Jensen. This must be their first ‘recruit’ in the PTH Next Gen movement. I expect more recruits from this PAC that has seemed to slide under the radar up until this point. I guess it helps when public officials conveniently hide your filings (if someone can provide a link, I will gladly retract that statement).

At least we have cleared the air on who they are so far, it will be interesting to watch them dump bundles of money into ineffective campaigns and lose. (PTH’s full report: 20180703-TenHaken-CFDRT (1)

Click to Enlarge

Homosexuals LGBT Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

Is Mayor TenHaken avoiding the LGTBQ community?

l3wis 31Comments

First in Memorial Day news, I had one of my ‘older’ foot soldiers call me today, J. Troy, to tell me he drove down the boulevard in McKennan Park and was disappointed that there was 3 city flags, 1 rainbow flag (gay pride) and no American flags.

I’m not sure about those hoity-toity McKennan Park folks, but I drove down 26th street today and there was well over a dozen American flags flying.

Also, as a reminder, Memorial Day is a holiday to remember not only our citizens that died in war, but all those who made our country great. Veteran’s day is in honor of those who survived war, and Armed Services day is for those who currently serve.

In Mexico they have a celebration of the dead at the end of October called ‘Day of the Dead’ in which they celebrate and honor all those who have died.

I was always brought up that Memorial Day was not only about our brave service people who made the ultimate sacrifice, but about all Americans who have contributed and passed on. Flags and Flowers for all.

Speaking of flowers . . .

Is Mayor Paul Homophobic?

He was kind of asked this during a Democratic Forum during the mayoral campaign, and he denied it. I was willing to take his word on it, but he has conveniently side stepped the subject since then.

Until now.

The ‘LGBee-ers‘ as I call them, are up in arms because they asked PTH, in his official capacity of mayor (not king of the SF selfie) to read a proclamation at the gay pride parade on June 15. Paul had a convenient out, Father’s Day weekend. Just like when he was asked to do the proclamation at gay pride last year, he once again used his children as an excuse. Paul reminds me of all the moms I have worked with over the years that use their kids as an excuse to get out of work early or to take a day off. It’s lame when they do it, and it is lame when you do it Paul. You can’t take 30 minutes out of your Father’s Day weekend (the day before BTW) to put a rest to whether you are homophobic or not? Besides, you will fit right in, there will plenty of flashy costumes and selfies galore!

I challenge Paul to put an end to the salacious rumors once and for all, and read the proclamation at the gay pride festival. As I tell my conservative friends, ‘Gay people are just like us,  just more fun . . . and better dancers.’

City Hall needs some better dancers these days.

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