Sioux Falls City Council election: 6 questions with candidates for the Northeast seat
Sioux Falls voters will have the chance to choose two new city councilors when they head to the polls Tuedsday, with three candidates each competing for the At-Large C seat and the Northeast district seat.
For each race, the Argus Leader asked each candidate to answer the same six questions in writing. Responses were only lightly edited for spelling and grammar.
Below are the answers from the three candidates vying for the Northeast district seat:
What has made you want to run for this position?
Sioux Falls is my home. Sioux Falls has supported my family through the recession in the 80’s, the 2000’s housing and financial scares, and the pandemic. Along the way, this city and the people in it have molded and made me into the woman I am today and created the opportunities that my husband and I have to live our best lives here. Running for City Council is one way I desire to pay it forward so that the next generation of community members and leaders will continue to make our community their home.
I decided to run to serve the public in this position after seeing the news about apartment buildings in my neighborhood living in squalor and unsafe living conditions with gangs/drugs in their common areas. The second reason is for more freedom and less government after seeing the excessive salaries in the Mayor’s office. The Mayor’s office has four salaries, three of which are appointed new positions making almost $575k total with only four salaries and then seeing only part time snow plow drivers making $22.50/hr when I made $25/hr doing part time snow plow for a different city street department over a decade ago. We need to cut government waste for tax relief and to give our front line city workers that serve the public higher wages and to recruit better talent to serve the public. Lastly is the soft on crime approach we are seeing. We as a society need to have a conversation about this. The boy who shot at the police at the Empire Mall four years ago ended up being my neighbor, after only one year in jail on a 15-year sentence. He was causing mayhem in our neighborhood then drove in a car with his friends last August and shot a gun out the window for fun. They caught him and he violated parole and now he is already back out next door. Violent criminals belong in jail and that is a part of the reason I am for decriminalization of 1 ounce of cannabis. Minnesota will be adult use and have a big store across the border, what are the police going to do, try and arrest everyone? We still need to encourage our society to be productive and responsible but let's target the violent criminals.
I have a burning passion to create honest, caring, practical government! This passion has driven my life for over a decade. Starting back in 2012, I was collecting ideas for better government. In 2016, I cranked up my efforts and started studying government almost full time. After all this study, I have a deep understanding of many governmental and cultural issues. Understanding problems is a great start, but it is more important to address those problems and create solutions. This city council position will allow me, as part of a team, to improve Sioux Falls government for the betterment of our community.
I have powerful practical goals for city government. I want to create honest local government, affordable housing, walkable neighborhoods, sane drug policy, reduced crime and addiction, abated homelessness, and more affordable childcare. That's not even my entire list of projects, merely highlights. While that's an impressive list of goals, they are all practical goals with a realistic path to completion. My long years of study have led to 175 PowerPoints presented at city council meetings. In other words, I have concrete plans to address a lot of problems!
Here for example are my straightforward plans to create affordable housing: redesign cities through mixed-use zoning; promote economic and racial integration; require some small houses on small lots; reduce space for cars on some lots; allow backyard houses and infill; put streets on a grid to promote public transit; reduce corporate home ownership to allow more people to own their homes; and reduce non-resident home ownership.
All my years of study and planning have prepared me for a leading role in city council. I'm excited about the opportunity to collectively improve Sioux Falls and build a better community for us all!
What do you think is the single largest problem that Sioux Falls is currently facing, and what should we be doing about it?
Miranda Basye
Community engagement. Period. One of the things we’ve all been hearing about this election is voter apathy. I love it when community voices are heard and a variety of perspectives brought to the table, and plan to continue encouraging and inspiring our community members to make their voices heard. I’ll continue to champion our community members to reach out to their elected officials, city staff, and attend (or watch) informational and council meetings and be proactive in their communications.
Neil Jeske
The largest three problems that we see in our Northeast District of Sioux Falls is the government, bad landlords and criminals which is a mixture of one problem. Landlords not providing proper living conditions regarding heat, plumbing, and safety. These hot spot properties with open common area doors being open allow criminal/drug activity that our communities are facing. People are being deprived of life and liberty and are prisoners in their own homes. Government is supposed to be limited and have a role to solve issues regarding bad landlords and actors with code enforcement. We should open an investigation or inquiry into why this is a perpetual problem in our community. Otherwise, excess regulation, fees, taxes should be looked into to be cut or reduced and reducing the government waste locally. When regulations grow our freedoms die. We must reduce the size of government, be as transparent, and as efficient as possible.
David Zokaites
The biggest problem almost everywhere is capitalism gone to excess. When elections are expensive, politicians are forced to sell out. Once elected, politicians then provide tax breaks and subsidies for their supporters. Elected officials then lie to themselves and the voters about who they work for and why.
The need to protect donors promotes corruption and affects nearly every political decision, appointment, and policy. Let me provide three examples of local government issues which apparently serve donors. First, the city's ethics advisory board reported a common practice of accepting gifts of third-party-paid travel. In other words, bribery is commonplace. I contacted the mayor, city council, city attorney, police chief, sheriff, and state's attorney. Strange how no one seems willing to investigate. Second, city regulations try to stamp out medical cannabis with egregious license fees and costly security requirements. We need to remember that medical cannabis is medicine and that medical cannabis dispensaries should be regulated like pharmacies. Stifling cannabis protects alcohol, pharmaceutical, tobacco, and prison industries. Pharmacies don't pay license fees in Sioux Falls, while dispensaries pay $50,000 annual license fees and bars pay $1,500. It’s as though city regulations say pharmaceuticals are good, alcohol is not too bad, and cannabis is a threat – to established industry. For the third example, city government paid for a study that said $10 million would build a large parking ramp. A couple of years later, mayors Mike Huether and Paul TenHaken approved spending $21 million of city money for a smaller ramp.
One of the hallmarks of corrupt and authoritarian government is secrecy. Often this secrecy helps to keep citizens confused and misinformed. As a case in point, I stood in front of the mayor at various city council meetings and asked questions about the parking ramp, none of which were answered. Why not extend the existing ramp at 8th and Dakota? Who selected the ramp contractor? How was this selection made? Was a recent building collapse considered when Legacy Developments was selected? And so on.
I think the solution to costly elections is publicly funding. If we want politicians to work for the people, working for the people needs to start before they are even sworn in. When we the people pay for political campaigns, then politicians will work for the people and enact laws for the common good instead of for the rich.
More: 8 people are running for Sioux Falls City Council: What to know
Four years from now, what’s one thing you hope to be able to say you were part of on the council?
Miranda Basye
Four years from now I aspire to be part of a movement that sparks engagement and widespread participation in our community organizations and local government. To be someone who encourages others to volunteer on boards and commissions, run for office, and collaboratively share and challenge ideas. Hopefully, that kind of participation means we get to celebrate big milestones in supporting our economic growth and develop with strides in affordable housing, child care options, and roads with continuously fewer potholes!
Neil Jeske
One thing I would be proud to say I was part of doing would be first doing everything for the common good of the people I would have a chance to represent in the Northeast District of Sioux Falls while providing a transparent, common sense low cost/regulation form of government while working together to solve our communities opportunities of the present and future.
David Zokaites
Chief among my aspirations will be instigating a fundamental change in city government. I hope to be part of a team that promotes accessibility, transparency, and accountability like never before. City elected officials should respond to every citizen contact, even if doing so requires one quarter of their time. Essentially every government document should be publicly available. All government documents should be public unless there is a proven need for confidentiality. Advice from the city attorney to civic leaders should be public. Contract negotiations should also be public. Police video should be available to anyone who has been arrested or detained by police. This would protect the constitutional right to fair trial (see Brady vs Maryland 1963).
More: Council candidates lay out how they would improve Sioux Falls during Thursday's debate
A mayoral election will be taking place in two years. What do you hope to see happen as a new administration takes over for the first time in eight years?
Miranda Basye
In any kind of change management process, respect for what is and what has been is paramount to smooth transitions. I’d expect a new administration to develop relationships with staff, leadership, councilors, and board/commission members to understand their perspectives and the work they’ve been focused on and desire to continue carrying forward. I’d expect a new administration to be open and forthright with their objectives and priorities and how they might align and or differ with the direction of the various entities over the course of the last eight years.
Neil Jeske
First of all I would like to see more competition for the Mayor’s seat as the more candidates in the race and ideas expressed is a good thing. With a new administration coming in we would hope to see a low cost transparent government working for the common good of the citizenry with equal opportunity for all.
David Zokaites
I'm a determined advocate of government for we the people, of honest, caring, practical government. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of money to be made from corrupt and autocratic governments; that's why there have been so many of them throughout human history. I hope the next mayor is a person of integrity and wisdom who manages city affairs to serve all of us. I hope the next mayor will pledge the following as I will if elected to city council:
I pledge allegiance to the Truth, for truth enables liberty, justice, and compassion for all. I pledge loyalty to the People our governments must serve. I pledge to protect the Earth, our temporal home, and all the wonderful life that surrounds us. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America, our Constitution, and the rights it protects. I pledge to promote science, art, and industry, for they enrich our lives and our city. Come join us in the work of this council as we dedicate our efforts to the people of Sioux Falls and manage city affairs for the betterment of all.
The Riverline Center is a major project that this council — and likely the next — will be involved in multiple decisions on. It’s early, but what are your thoughts on the project as it has been outlined?
Miranda Basye
My immediate reaction to the 2050 vision is from a business and economic development sense, to me it makes sense. I just think about the location of our current convention center, and we're likely missing out on opportunities to support our local businesses (i.e. restaurants, shops, bars etc.) and garner the sales tax from increased patronizing. While I think that parcel of land would be a strategic addition to the core of the city, we have other services and neighborhoods in that same area that would be affected. We have a long way to go in mitigating those kinds of concerns and questions to make this dream a reality, so it’s a good thing we have some time to do just that!
Neil Jeske
I would have to deflect and say I need to do some more research on the project. We must be careful and have full transparency with this project if the public decides it wants to move forward. After seeing the parking garage downtown debacle we must focus on being a wise and frugal government with equal opportunity for all. “Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.” - Calvin Coolidge 30th President
David Zokaites
The Riverline Center is being promoted as a way to revitalize part of downtown, encourage tourism, and promote the local economy. These are lofty goals which it probably would achieve, but I do have some concerns. My main worry is that this project will be a well-publicized semi-secret government project by money for money. I expect we will hear a lot about this project in the news but won't hear about some key details. So for example, I tried to determine where this project will be and how big. I found Www.RiverlineDistrict.com which has a blurry location diagram while a mayor's speech talked about land purchase agreements being in hand. If purchase agreements were signed, why don't we have a published map of the district's size and location? Why can't we be sure if the proposed district will build on Drake Springs Park? The same website has a list of Riverside District Committee members. I saw big business being represented in this committee. Numerous builders, bankers, and business organizations were represented but no grassroots community organizations.
That leads me to my next concern. The Riverline District appears designed to displace support services for the poor and underserved. Gentrifying the area may make the area more appealing to visitors, but it does not solve any underlying social problems. It merely moves those problems somewhere else.
There are many possible alternative public-private partnerships that would tremendously improve our community. For example, we could build a more accepting shelter and radically reduce homelessness. In addition to saving money for emergency calls, housing the homeless makes for a nicer town and a more profitable business environment. We could plant thousands of trees and grow a healthier, more appealing urban landscape. We could partner with the state to clean up the Big Sioux River and thereby promote tourism and create a town that is more attractive. We could put addicts in treatment instead of jail and help them reclaim their lives and simultaneously reduce crime and recidivism. The people of Sioux Falls have many wonderful choices of how to revitalize our communities and spend millions of dollars in public-private partnerships. We should evaluate these other options and compare them to the planned Riverline District. That's not currently being done. We need to practice the pragmatic compassion of Jesus and help the least among us. Doing so helps us all, including the rich.
More: Two new Sioux Falls city councilors won’t be on the ballot in April. Who are they?
Of the candidates running for the seat, what makes you the best person for the job?
Miranda Basye
To me, public service means being a vessel for the people and community I serve. To advocate for the good of the collective, I must understand the collective. I’m curious about most things, and want to hear from as many perspectives as possible when forming ideas, initiatives, and policy through discernment-lead problem-solving. I have a track record of demonstrating those skills of passionate service and purposeful leadership in the teams, organizations, and groups I’ve led and been part of thus far in my life and career. My life here in Sioux Falls continues to afford me diverse experiences and each time I learn something new and meet incredible people in the process.
Neil Jeske
I am the best candidate for the Northeast Sioux Falls City Council position to serve the public with three years of previous experience serving the public (garbage man, recycle center, and part time snow plow) for a different town's street department, two decades of real work (truck driver) experience and a decade of running a small business. Government is supposed to represent the common citizenry of our society from the teacher to the taxi driver and laborer. This is the definition of our statesman platform. In most respects a statesman is the opposite of a politician. Politicians are thought of as people who will say or do anything to get elected or to gain power. A statesman is someone who does everything for the common good of the people he or she represents. - Wikipedia. I humbly ask for your early vote starting March 25th or on Tuesday April 9th. Vote Neil Jeske! More Freedom. Less Government.
David Zokaites
I have been regularly attending city council meetings for about six years so that I could understand the surface and deeper operation of city government. My assessment and plans have been documented in 175 PowerPoints which I presented at city council meetings. That's a lot of analysis!
It has been quite the challenge to understand what's going on in government and why. We're taught from a young age that America is a democracy with responsive government that encourages liberty and justice for all. Why then do elected officials ignore our emails? Why do SD politicians legislate tax havens for billionaires and shift taxes to the rest of us? Why was I personally threatened when trying to testify for a friend in Minnehaha County Courthouse? Why are police free to detain innocent people? Why did the Supreme Court invent qualified immunity and thereby protect bad officials from accountability? Gradually it dawned on me that all these problems have a common origin – government does not work for we the people. Government works for campaign donors and wants to keep the rest of us in the dark, distracted and docile. When we remedy this one problem of campaign finance, we will change everything!
I'm the best person for this job because I am the best prepared and the most knowledgeable. I am honest even when it's difficult, and I have concrete plans for honest, caring, practical government. We can do this; we will do this. Even now, just by campaigning, I am spreading a vision of integrity and improved government. For we the people!
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls Election: Q&A with Northeast seat candidates
