Vernon Brown

Councilor Brown wants to spend $250,000 of your tax money so you can dial 4 less numbers

rotary-phone

Hey, Vernon, rotary phones went out in the 80’s.

The city wants to make it easier to turn in your neighbors. Are we changing the city’s motto to, “The city of neighborly hate”? or “If you have a neighbor, he’s probably a criminal”

Sioux Falls officials, reacting to City Council criticisms, say they are making it easier for residents to file code enforcement complaints against other residents or businesses.

Because before code enforcement started 6 years ago, our city was in shambles! Shambles I say! Shambles!

In response, the city is marketing its general information phone number – 367-8000 – as the number to address code violations. The city has contracted with the HelpLine Center to answer those calls, and operators there will be trained to get complaints to the appropriate departments for investigation.

Because no one that works for the city is qualified to answer a phone and talk to citizens? And we wonder why we may be spending $34 million next year for “Professional Services”.

At some point, the system might even be set up to handle calls 24 hours a day, seven day a week. Officials hope to have a new Web site up in May, which will provide examples of violations of city code and access to file an electronic complaint.

Because we won’t be happy until we turn our city into a police state! This is a crock of shit. Now we are training residents on code enforcement? This is getting out of control. Who the F’ck is on a power trip here? This crap has got to end.

Councilor Vernon Brown, a longtime critic of the city’s handling of code enforcement complaints, told Director of Health Judy Buseman that private companies would go out of business if they treated people as the city does.

Can we fire all of you? Point me in the right direction. Let’s get this party started!

Rather than use a seven-digit phone number for complaints, Brown said he thinks the city should use a 311 phone number. It would be easier for people to remember, but cost $250,000.

Vernon thinks spending $8,000 to experiment with snowgates is a “Waste of Money” because “They don’t work.” But spending a cool 1/4 million on a phone number is well worth it. Go figure. Isn’t it ironic that a guy who works for a telecommunications company wants to spend that much money on a specialized number? Gee, I wonder what company in Sioux Falls is qualifed to handle that kind of contract? (Cough, Cough, SDN communications, Cough, Cough, Time Killers, Cough). I guess it’s time to pay back your Telecommunications PAC money you received during your last campaign, huh Vernon? Talk about conflict of interest!

Tax Happy!

What a perfect time to raise taxes, while the economy is in the toilet. That’s our city government, always thinking (about their campaign contributors that is).

KELO-TV does a story;

Eight South Dakota communities will implement new municipal taxes or increase taxes on January 1.

And Sioux Falls is increasing its current 1.92 percent local sales tax to 2 percent.

I would like to thank anyone who signed the petition to lower the sales tax in 2010 to 1.90 this past weekend.

We need metal detectors at Carnegie to protect the councilors from cellphones?

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin

Metal Detectors, Bullet Proof desks? Give me a break!

Litz likes the idea of a metal detector, especially after an angry citizen confronted him after a meeting. 

“He was reaching in his coat and it gave me quite a startle a few things raced through my mind. It wound up he was going for his cell phone,” said Litz. 

Bob, can I give you a word of advice? First, drop it – troubling the majority of law abiding citizens and making us pay for this ridiculous security measure is assanine. If a crazy person wants to hurt you, they will find a way.

As for the incident you refer to, it happened outside on the way to your car AFTER the meeting, and he had a CELLPHONE not a gun. I think the quickest way to remedy this would be to have an officer walk you to your car after the meetings. When I worked at the Pavilion, security officers would often walk patrons and volunteers to their cars. It’s okay, I don’t think the other councilors will pick on you about it.

As for metal detectors I think it is just a waste of taxpayers money. Why not change state law so people can’t carry concealed weapons. My thought has always been, if you beleive you have the 2nd amendment right to carry a weapon, then you should carry it revealed in a holster on your hip or not at all. I agree you have the right to carry a weapon, but I also have the right to know who is carrying that weapon.

As for the angry citizen, doesn’t surprise me. It seems you have a lot of people mad at you lately, your voting pattern isn’t helping that BTW. I suggest you call citizens back and discuss with them the issues they may have. I have a feeling a citizen thought they were being ignored. You shouldn’t ignore the people who elect you and pay your wages.

And lastly – if none of those things work, I suggest you resign and spend Monday nights in the safety of your Grange Avenue Mansion. I have a feeling that would make quite a few citizens very, very happy.

Sales Tax Revenue down in Sioux Falls

According to the Sioux Falls City Finance Director in the informational meeting yesterday, Councilor Brown, and the State Economic Advisor the larger cities in South Dakota are seeing a decrease in retail tax revenue and the smaller towns are seeing an increase. They seem to be puzzled why this is. Brown seemed to think it was the rural economy doing well.

I’m gonna guess he is wrong.

I’m not an economist, and trust me, I haven’t really done much research on this after hearing about this development, but I’m gonna guess that it is due to high gas prices and inflation. Used to be small town people would go to the big city on weekends, buy all their groceries, buy clothes and fillup their tanks. I know this because we used to go to Mitchell every Saturday to do the same thing growing up (I lived in rural Ethan). With inflation people are cutting back on buying luxuries in the big cities and buying groceries in their hometowns to save gas.

This may not be good for Sioux Falls, but it is good for smaller towns because it may help to revitalize them.