The MSM’s FEAR of the Advertising Tax

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The MSM pretty much sucks all over our country. I often find myself watching BBC news in the middle of the night just so I know what’s going on in the world (and in our country). Ever wonder why 80% of Europeans support Obama over McCain? Because they are INFORMED! Don’t get me wrong, Obama ain’t no savior but he’s a Hell of a lot smarter then Mr. 890th or something in their graduating class compared to Obama’s Editor of the Harvard Law Review under his belt.
Now to my point. The media, especially our local jokalists pander to advertisers, whenever they have a chance, and if it seems like they are endorsing a position that is not in line with those advertisers they squash the speculation. It’s been called advertorial writing. Disguising advertising as news.

Some magazines don’t have a problem admitting that’s what they are, for example ETC. and SF Woman. Their main objective is to kiss ass and sell advertising. Duh. But what about our local TV news and our only daily newspaper? Isn’t the Fourth Estate supposed to be watching out for us? The citizens? To often they are looking out for their bottom line.
My involvement with the petition drive for the sales tax decrease has reared the Sioux Falls MSM’s ugly head. It all started when I emailed KELO-TV shortly after they ran an episode of Inside Keloland about the sales tax increase. The program featured only one opponent, Councilor Staggers, and no citizens. I told the news director that was wrong. Nothing happened. Recently I posted some stuff on my KELO political blog link about the petition drive. KELO deleted the posts saying I can’t post that stuff because I was directly involved and it makes it look like KELO is endorsing my endeavor.

Bologna.

First off it says right at the top of the political blog page “The views and opinions expressed on this page are strictly those of the blog author. “ on top of that, I have noticed other contributors to the page on both sides of the aisle have consistently promoted their political agendas. They haven’t been deleted.
What do I think the reason KELO-TV deleted my posts and why our daily rag endorsed the sales tax increase?
1) I’m sure someone cried to the station and paper, I’m sure it was an advertiser or a developer, or some other corporate welfare recipient in our town that takes our tax dollars in the form of handouts and tax incentives.
2) The media loves sales taxes because it keeps them from paying taxes on advertising. See, advertising isn’t taxed in South Dakota, because if it was, it would cut into how much profit they could make from an advertiser on a budget. The Fourth Estate doesn’t have a problem with old ladies on fixed incomes paying taxes on food to help pave our streets, build Jr. football fields and putting historically correct million dollar windows in the Pavilion, just as long as it is not coming out of their bottom line.
The MSM in Sioux Falls supports growth, just as long as they don’t have to pay for it. F’ing hypocrites.

The Gargoyle Leader comes out against Term Limits

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No surprise here, they like people who are entrenched in the system, so they can keep getting tax benefits (Advertising is NOT taxed and no one has introduced legislation to do so – yet we have to pay tax on food) And the tired old same people in our state legislature will not present new ideas, or new ways to fund government besides sales tax and video lottery. But this statement surprises me most;

Fundamentally, though, the issue is power. South Dakota’s governmental structure means our governor wields a lot of it. Tack on term limits for legislators, and that branch’s power is further reduced. It’s not much of a stretch to lay the Legislature’s unwillingness to stand up to a governor who routinely disregards their directives at the feet of term limits.

When has our longtime legislators ever stood up to him? They bitch a lot in the media (Gene Abdallah) but never get anywhere with it. File complaints, file lawsuits and take it to the people. Mike Rounds does not scare me, why does it scare these legislative veterans? Because they all sleep in the same bed together.

VOTE NO ON J – WE need new ideas in Pierre.

And a correction in the story, Scott and Phyllis are in District 13 not 14.

What does L & C water system have to do w/Sales Tax? NOTHING!

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Mayor Munson seems to be up in arms over the sales tax decrease initiative (Argus Leader), which is no surprise, well it kinda is. It will have NO EFFECT on his budget and will have to be dealt with by the next mayor and council. By the time this takes effect, there will be at least 3 to 5 new councilors and a new mayor. Secondly Munson seems to be spinning the story,

Munson bristled at accusations that he hasn’t overseen responsible growth during his time at the helm, pointing to major street construction projects on 57th and 26th streets as recent examples.

“We planned Lewis & Clark for growth,” he said, referring to the water project. “Maybe under their scenario we don’t need Lewis & Clark. I think that’s crazy.”

First off, this decrease won’t take ANY money away from street construction (I’ll get to that later) and secondly Lewis & Clark is being paid by a loan the city took out that is being paid off from increased water rates, not sales tax. We also may receive money from the Federal Government (don’t hold your breath though, it seems neither presidential candidate is too interested in that). Like Rudy Guilliani and 9/11 everytime someone wants to cut the budget, Dave brings up Lewis & Clark. Cut the bull Dave.

As for street construction money being taken away, this is also a myth;

Officials warn that Sioux Falls will continue to lag on new road construction if the tax doesn’t go to a full cent. That, in turn, would hurt economic growth at a time when the national economy already is in precarious shape.Officials warn that Sioux Falls will continue to lag on new road construction if the tax doesn’t go to a full cent. That, in turn, would hurt economic growth at a time when the national economy already is in precarious shape.

It is merely $5 million dollars that will have to be cut from the Capital Improvement Budget (Basically a slush fund that pays for all the goodies (wants) in our city). In fact Munson mentions a great cut in the article.

Munson pointed out that McKennan Park next year is budgeted to receive $615,800 for upgrades.

Huh?! They just received upgrades this year already. Another example of wasteful spending.

And it seems councilor Costello went over to the dark side,

“They are fully within their rights to do what they are doing,” Costello added. “I personally would not sign that petition.”

Why wouldn’t you sign it Pat? I sign petitions all the time with stuff I don’t agree with. I signed the Initiative 11 petition, I signed Nader’s and Bob Barr’s petition to be on the ballot in South Dakota. I think it’s good to let the citizens decide. This is what a democracy is about. Do we want to let citizens decide on what they want to spend $5 million dollars on, or do we want 4 councilors, developers, special interests and a mayor decide?

I think we know the answer to that question.