SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- Sioux Falls' 2018 budget of just over $457 million is good to go after a 7-1 vote from the City Council on Tuesday with one small tweak.
On the recommendation of Pat Starr, the council shifted money from Parks and Recreation to certain non-profits and outside organizations with the intent of funding them at their 2017 levels. But, there is a catch to go with that funding, "Let's fund these services at the 2017 level for '18, [and then] review each one of these agencies [to find if it's] the role of government? Is it something we should be funding? Is it something the citizens of Sioux Falls see as a need?"
Council Vice-Chair Christine Erickson agreed with Starr, saying it answers an important question. "Are we getting the best bang for our buck? Is this something that we have to do as a community or is it something that we've kind of always done so we've just always done it this way?" Councilor Theresa Stehly was also on board; saying in a time of slowing tax revenue every expense must be examined.
The added funding for the outside groups amounted to $270 thousand, which came out of the the city's 2018 Parks and Recreation budget, money that had been earmarked for upgrades to Sioux Falls Stadium. Starr said it wasn't an easy decision to make, but there will still be small projects that can be done at the facility. He compared the venue to a used car, something that "can nickel and dime you to death, if we don't have a long-term goal of what we are trying to do to the facility, it's not good."
Erickson added the $270 thousand dollars in question represents a modification of just .06% of the total city budget.
Starr went on to say that this doesn't mean the city is going to ignore the stadium. Starr said he would like the city to include the venue in an upcoming consultant's review of operations at the Orpheum Theater and Sioux Falls Arena. "We want to make sure we have a first-rate facility for the team that we support." The team and the city have 12 years remaining on their lease for the venue.
Following the budget approval the council took up a 1% increase in the city's property tax, which was approved with little to no discussion.