I have been collecting signatures on a referendum on the Mitchell indoor pool project. Not surprisingly, I have had employees of the city of Mitchell who support the effort, but will not sign the petitions. Their fear is not with the mayor, who supports the referendum, but with the crony capitalists who run this town. One of them is Roger Musick who left this comment on a previous thread:
Thanks for including my letter to the editor. I think what is being forgotten is Mitchell did have a recent election and Ed ran against the pool and Tara ran against the fine arts center. Both were soundly defeated. We need to turn our heads around and look forward.
Would you rather spend $5 million on a City Hall at $250,000 per City employee that works in City Hall (I spent $40 k per employee for my office) or $5+ million for another museum at the Corn Palace which benefits no residents of Mitchell. We closed 2 museums within 300 feet of the Corn Palace that failed.
The motel owners have spoken what project they are willing to fund with a $1 million BID and the private citizens have committed to raise $1 million of private money for the pool.
If you have a better project for the City then I expect you and Ed to raise a similar % of private money to help fund your desired project and reduce the Cities share of the project.
I prefer projects projects that improve the quality of life for our children, grandchildren and employees and their children. This will help move Mitchell forward. Huron even has a nice indoor pool.
It is very easy to be against everything but much harder to raise $2 million as the pool supporters have. You will see how hard it is to raise funds when you, Ed and Tara start raising funds for your project.
The reason Tara, Ed, myself, and others can't win elections is because we are marginalized by the same people that are causing city employees to be afraid to sign the petition. If you want to increase the chances of having a good job in Mitchell, then you better be in favor of whatever the Master Class wants. The reason why we have such low voter turn out is because the citizens have been oppressed into submission.
The Master Class decided to change plans mid stream and build an indoor pool instead of building a new City Hall so that the Corn Palace can be expanded into the current City Hall. Mitchell just spent millions on renovating the Corn Palace, and it is the main attraction for bringing visitors to Mitchell. I have seen no evidence than a new indoor pool would attract more visitors. The proposed benefits of an expanded renovated Corn Palace are being sacrificed in order to finance the wants of a very narrow special interest.
Roger and the pool supporters are falsely claiming that $2 million of the pool project is coming from supporters. The truth is that $1 million is coming from additional fees that will be charged for those visitors staying in motels. Most of them will not be using Mitchell's motels due to a new swimming pool. Most will care less about the new pool. The pool supporters are simply adding another tax in order to get the $7 million of funds they can't raise for the $8 million project. In my book, which is the Bible, that would be considered coveting.
And having our children and grandchildren pay taxes to pay of the debt that will be incurred to fund this project is not moving Mitchell forward. Those taxes could be used to stimulate the economy, by citizens buying want they want instead of paying off debt caused by the wants of special interests from days gone by.
Those monies will be wasted to pay off debt on projects that has no return on investment. In fact, the annual financial impact of the pool will most likely negative as the operating costs will exceed the fees the pool will collect. I have yet to see a financial budget for operating the proposed facility. And this same argument goes for the $15 million fine arts center.
It will be those who profit from building swimming pools who will benefit the most. The rest of us members of the slave class will be paying the costs to subsidize operations and the debt that will fund the construction. This is the real impact crony capitalism has on the economy. That negative impact is causing taxes and public (and even perhaps private) debt to rise. China has been doing similar projects, and now they seem to be leading the world into another financial collapse.
Just be thankful you don't live in Sioux Falls. The Premier Center siding the pool, cost over runs. Fiasos Debt for a long long time.
Posted by: SD Concerned Citizen | August 28, 2015 at 07:57 AM
Steve,
I thought you were becoming more reasonable but I see you have had a relapse. Freedom of speech is GREAT but when it is totally BULLSHIT it needs to be exposed.
The concept that people don’t want to sign your petition because “Their fear is not with the mayor, who supports the referendum, but with the crony capitalists who run this town. One of them is Roger Musick” is totally ridiculous. People don’t want to sign your petition because they don’t want to be associated with your ridiculous comments. I think Occam's razor principle would indicate that people don’t want to sign your petition JUST because they don’t agree with you.
Just to set the record straight I have no interest in running Mitchell and very much appreciate the people that do volunteer their time to run the City. Other then sign a couple petitions in the past I have never looked at who signed or didn’t sign any petition and don’t plan to in the future. I’m not even sure if that is public information but would guess it is.
I am proud to be a capitalist and very busy at Innovative Systems which does almost zero business in Mitchell. My interest in improving Mitchell is 100% to make it a better City for my family, employees and other Mitchell residents. Your concept that everyone has some sinister motivate is just not true. Mitchell has many good citizens that volunteer time to serve on many boards for the City and non profit organizations in Mitchell and they should not be criticized for donating their time to improve Mitchell. It is obviously your right to say anything you want but don’t expect others to want to follow you.
Your thought that people won’t sign your petition because then we won’t hire them is crazy. First I wouldn’t know if they signed a petition and secondly we employee less then 2% and only people in a very specialized field. How many of the people that wouldn’t sign your petition were software programmers or software support specialists?
The City council decided to make the pool a higher priority when the parents of the swimmers stepped forward and said they would raise $1 million and try to get the motels to support a bid. The first I knew this was even happening was when I read it in the paper. It is very good when the City can leverage private donations and reduce the required taxes.
You often are critical of the low wages in Mitchell which is primarily caused by the high number of jobs in the hospitality industry in Mitchell. We have this high number of hospitality jobs because of our location on I90 and very minor impact from the Corn Palace. It appears you think we should spend more tax dollars on the tourist industry and create more very low paying jobs. Is this what you think?
Do you really want to spend multi millions of dollars to build another museum attached to the Corn Palace paid for with tax dollars after closing two museums within 300 feet of the Corn Palace or are you just anti everything?
Do you want to spend $250,000 for each employees office for a new City Hall?
I was very clear where the $2 million was coming from. To say I was falsely claiming anything is just Bullshit. The Bid is approved by the motel owners which obviously supported the pool or they wouldn’t have voted for the bid. We all know who pays the bid but the motel owners make the decision which project they think will do the most good for Mitchell by approving the bid. The motel owners had no interest in a bid for the Corn Palace or City Hall to my knowledge.
I to hope the City can lower taxes but would prefer to borrow money and build major projects when interest rates are VERY low. I would think you would understand this.
We have no idea who will be the low bidder for the pool construction, it won’t be me or any company I’m associated with. So I will not benefit financially in any way from the pool. The people that will benefit from the pool will be our children, grand children, employees and older people that use the pool.
Posted by: Roger Musick | August 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM
I believe there are much better ways to raise money for these projects, than on the backs of the taxpayers. For example, the Gymnastic team, which is sanctioned by the SDAA did not go to the city taxpayers and ask for 2 or 3 million dollars to build a new gymnastics building.
The city of Aberdeen did not go to the taxpayers and have them pay a majority of a 15-20 million dollar rec center. There are many INNOVATIVE ways to get projects completed than by just using the majority of the money coming from the taxpayers. See, I have a problem picking and choosing special multimillion projects without the citizens of Mitchell having a say. If it's a good project for the community, the people will pass it. I am very concerned about the High School the is such an embarrassment compared to other AA schools in SD. People want nice looking updated schools and I believe Mitchell will never get a new HS because a bond issue will never pass because of special interest priorities. The Rec center should be sold to the school district for added classroom space and gym space and a new rec center and pool should be built downtown. Scrap the new city hall and take care of what we have and Roger, how would you like to pay a corporate and personal income tax so the middle class and home owners can have their property taxes reduced 60 percent and the tax burden would be switched over to the upper class that want these projects.
Posted by: tara volesky | August 29, 2015 at 06:52 AM
In the USA we have a form of Government where we elect people to pass laws and make day to day decisions for the Government. If we don’t like their decisions we can force an election. If we constantly force elections no one will want to run for election because they are always being second guessed. Our form of Government is based on the elected officials taking extra time to understand the issues in detail that many voters don’t take the time to understand. Sorry to say today often voters base their decisions on sound bites instead of real information.
If you have great ways to raise money for good causes great just make it happen.
While the oldest part of the High School was built in 1967 it has been added to a couple times. It is the oldest building in the school system and I believe there is a plan to replace it when required without requiring a bond issue. Our school administration and school board has done a great job. The teachers in our school system today are very good dedicated teachers and far more important than buildings.
We all have to pay our share of the cost of Government including me. In general our State and local Government have done a good job minimizing the size of Government. If South Dakota decides that an income tax would be beneficial then I will gladly pay it. I do already pay State income taxes in other States where we have businesses. I think we are all lucky to live in a State with good fiscal responsibility.
I think improving the income of Mitchell residents is the most important factor. We can only do this by providing a high quality of life so people with higher paying jobs want to live in Mitchell.
Posted by: Roger Musick | August 29, 2015 at 09:25 AM
What ever you say Mr. Status Quo.
Posted by: tara volesky | August 29, 2015 at 09:51 AM
Miss Volesky which 15-20 million dollar rec center are you talking about in Aberdeen that didn't use taxpayer money?
Posted by: SD Concerned Citzen | August 29, 2015 at 10:36 AM
Thanks Tara. I do think we live in a nice City, in the best part of the country and in the best country. The Status Quo is very good but can always be improved.
Posted by: Roger Musick | August 29, 2015 at 01:39 PM
SDCC, The Rec Center in Aberdeen I talking about is the YMCA. A non-profit board raised millions of dollars from businesses and grants.
Posted by: tara volesky | August 29, 2015 at 05:14 PM
Yes Roger, I would rate Mitchell the number 1 city to live in in SD. I believe with a few minor changes it could even be better. Sometimes I get a little to passionate about things. I have never been status quo, because I am to much of a rebel.
Posted by: tara volesky | August 29, 2015 at 07:36 PM
If you read my fb page, you will understand why I am a rebel or an activist. There are way too many oppressed people in SD. It doesn't have to be that way if the silent majority would get out and vote.
Posted by: tara volesky | August 30, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Miss Volesky it looks like the city of Aberdeen(taxpayers) spent 4 million on helping to build the new YMCA. http://www.keloland.com/communities/aberdeen/localdetail12092.cfm?id=177120
Posted by: SD Concerned Citizen | August 30, 2015 at 11:52 AM
This may help but it does point out that taxpayers did spend a significant amount on this new facility.
Community Pledges $6,400,000
City, State, & Federal Grant $4,250,000
City Payment of bonds $2,000,000
Total: $12,650,000
Posted by: SD Concerned Citizen | August 30, 2015 at 12:01 PM
You're are good SD Concerned Citizen. Maybe we should model cities that aren't so dependent on local taxes. By the way, I have the info, I just don't know how to copy and past. I took a tour of the Aberdeen Y and was very impressed. The 2 in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Fargo, and Bismark know how to put funding together also. I know how to do it also, but they don't want to get proven wrong. I just wish Mitchell was a little smarter when it comes to putting financial packages together for multi-million dollar projects. Aberdeen is almost twice as big as Mitchell and got a beautiful Rec Center with pool for only 2 million dollars of city bonds. Not bad!
Posted by: tara volesky | August 30, 2015 at 12:55 PM
SDCC, From you're numbers, it looks like the city of Aberdeen spent 2 million on bonds. Where did the other 2 million come from?
Posted by: tara volesky | September 01, 2015 at 06:29 AM
Miss Volesky I'm sorry I just quickly got those numbers off the Aberdeen YMCA and Kelo's website but remember that there was some substantial taxpayer money involved. The NSU Barnett Center had local taxpayer money also and was planned originally for a competition pool but there were some things that didn't go well as they could of gone years ago. Nice facility but had those in charge let the public know they needed a little more money to make it "right" it would be even better today with a slightly longer pool opening up more usage opportunities for state HS and university competition.
Posted by: SD Concerned Citizen | September 01, 2015 at 10:32 PM
SDCC, the percentage of taxpayer money in Mitchell that is used for projects such as hockey rink, pool, FAC is substantially more than many other communities. Aberdeen has 2 nice colleges, a beautiful HS with a 700 seat auditorium. I use to work at the Aberdeen CC and Moccasin Creek. It was a big event growing up in Mobridge to get to go to Aberdeen for a shopping trip to Aberdeen.
Posted by: tara volesky | September 02, 2015 at 04:45 AM
Steve, how is the petition drive going with the pool?
Posted by: tara volesky | September 06, 2015 at 12:05 PM