Sioux Falls citizen activists take a stand

From the Argus Leader:

Opponents of last month's sales tax increase want Sioux Falls voters to have the final say.

A new group - Citizens for a Responsible Sales Tax - will announce plans this morning to put a reduction in the city's sales tax on a future ballot.

Members say they will begin collecting signatures as early as today. With a dimming national economy, it is the wrong time to raise taxes, they say.

"We feel that with so many people having to cut back and readjust their budgets, we think the city should follow suit on that," said Theresa Stehly, co-chairwoman of the group. Stehly helped run a successful ballot initiative in 2006 that forced the city to abandon a plan for a $12 million indoor pool at Nelson Park.

The group has six months to collect enough signatures of registered voters. The vote probably would be next spring, potentially in conjunction with school board elections.