Reduce city property taxes in 2011. During the eight years of the current administration, without exception, there has been an increase in property taxes every year without any justification ever being offered as to how the additional money would be spent. For homeowners, especially senior citizens and those living on fixed incomes, the cumulative affect of these annual property tax increases has been harmful to family budgets. There must be a reduction in property taxes, especially in the midst of an economic downturn.

No increase in the city sales tax. Most City Council members want to raise the sales tax in Sioux Falls to 7% for an events center. This tax increase would take an additional $50 million out of the pockets of citizens and give it to the city government to spend. The citizens would have less money to spend at a time when economists are calling for consumers to spend more money in order to get the economy out of an economic downturn. Furthermore, since the sales tax is a very regressive tax, any increase in the sales tax would further impoverish the poor and low income families in the midst of an economic downturn.

No increases in taxes and no annual operating subsidy for a new events center. Common sense and fairness dictate that a new events center should be paid for by those people who use it. Likewise, if you do not use the facility, you should not pay for it. A new events center should only be supported if there are no increases in taxes and no annual operating subsidy.

Eliminate costly and unnecessary regulations. Regulations equal increased costs and more government control. This is evident in the Sioux Falls housing market where consumers pay an artificially high price for new and older homes because of unnecessary regulations imposed by the city. Recently, members of the City Council's Land Use Committee expressed strong disapproval of any attempts to require that thousands of dollars be spent on fire sprinkler systems in each new home.

Promote greater accountability and transparency in city government. In the past, City Council members voted for the annual appropriations bill without knowing that they were also voting for a property tax increase. Only a few employees in the city's finance department understood this questionable method of concealing an increase in property taxes. This hidden and deceptive method of raising property taxes continues to this day. Transparency in the raising of taxes and how the city conducts its business as a whole is absolutely critical in a free and open society. In the spirit of complete openness and full disclosure, all city expenditures should be available to view on line and all city tax increases should be proposed in separate ordinances.

Increase spending on city streets and highways. The city is playing catch up in its street maintenance program. The city's promise of the 1980s that the second penny sales tax would be used for streets must be reaffirmed and honored. This means more of the second penny sales tax must be spent on streets and highways.

Establish a pilot program to evaluate the use of snow gates on city plows to stop the blocking of private driveways with snow and ice from city streets. Snow gates have proved successful in a number of cities, such as Bismarck, ND and Coeur d’Alene, ID, in keeping snow and ice out of citizens’ driveways. Now is the time for the city to test snow gates to determine their practicality and usefulness for reducing a heavy burden on the residents of Sioux Falls.

Eliminate downtown parking meters to benefit customers and local businesses. Everybody understands that this is the number one way to increase business activity in downtown Sioux Falls; therefore, the city should eliminate downtown parking meters.

1. The City of Sioux Falls must follow the U.S. Constitution, the South Dakota Constitution, and the City Charter.
2. The city government must care more about the needs of citizens than the desires of special interest groups.
3. The city government must protect and promote an individual’s right to life, liberty, and property.

• 2009-01-05
  Open government
• 2009-04-03
  City Audits
• 2009-05-01
  Going Green
• 2009-07-13
  Camping Ordianance
• 2009-10-01
  Siouxland Museums Storage

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