Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, July 12
Public parks shouldn’t rely on private donations
More than most cities its size, Sioux Falls is well-versed in the benefits of private donations.
Some of the most public successes of the past decade have been spurred by such contributions, improving quality of life by boosting enterprises such as the Washington Pavilion, Denny Sanford Premier Center, Midco Aquatic Center and most recently the State Theatre.
On a statewide level, neither of South Dakota’s Division I universities would have updated athletic facilities if it weren’t for private or corporate support, nor would Sanford Health be, well, Sanford Health.
But there’s a fine line between appreciating these gestures and knowing when to distinguish between private influence and public concerns. That line is becoming increasingly blurred within city government.
Mayor Paul TenHaken, as part of his five-year capital spending outlook, called for a 16-percent spending increase to focus on repairing damaged highways and roads, to the tune of a $30 million.
That means less money for the Sioux Falls parks system, where large-scale enhancements will be curtailed unless private donations are able to offset the shift in budgetary muscle.
This pilot initiative to get the private sector to invest $10 million in the parks system by 2022 is one of TenHaken’s “Big Hairy Audacious Goals,” but it might end with people pulling their hair out.
One of Sioux Falls’ most appealing features is its vast array of public parks. The city’s status as a desirable place to live and raise a family is partly based on these public spaces, whether it’s strolling through the Japanese Gardens at Terrace Park, swimming at Laurel Oak, sledding at Tuthill or enjoying the bandshell at McKennan.
The preservation, management and improvement of these resources is key to helping our community thrive, and that is part of the city government’s compact - like public safety, utilities, transportation and, yes, fixing roads.
Simply maintaining the status quo and relying on benefactors to enrich the parks system comes off as sloppy stewardship of one of the city’s most visible and family-friendly assets, particularly with no clear plan on who will be in charge of soliciting donations.
When municipalities start relying on private funding of public parks, troubling themes emerge. The decline in government funding tends to become permanent, even as alternate revenue sources grow sporadic and create uncertainties for capital improvements and growth.
Since donations are often site-specific, they can lead to inequality in terms of which parks or neighborhoods receive attention, rather than a citywide appraisal based on usage and need.
In a general sense, relying on private investors for public works can lead to inordinate levels of influence for certain individuals or corporations, a concern of which Sioux Falls civic leaders should be fully aware.
Are there times when big-ticket improvements might call for public-private partnership? Sure. Do we think that the city’s green spaces will suddenly fall into disrepair because of this pilot plan? Of course not.
But the sense of ownership that taxpayers feel with city parks should not be underestimated, nor should the notion that all these parcels have value to those who use them, regardless of location.
When the city’s capital improvement plan falls short of funding street repairs and park upgrades at the same time, there’s an imbalance of priorities somewhere. If you’re looking for audacious goals, fixing that problem is a good place to start.
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Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan, July 15
Wounded Knee and Medals of Honor
History, the saying goes, is written by the winners, a fact that can often produce one-side, one-dimensional views on the past, unless other voices are considered and heard. This can lead to some history being rewritten (we hesitate to call it a revision, for that has a negative connotation) and/or reconsidered by future generations.
One such event is the 1890 incident at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. For generations, the official history - and the history that most South Dakota kids were taught - referred to it as the “battle” of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The incident came about as soldiers from the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment ordered a group of Native Americans camped by the creek to disarm. The tribal members started doing what was called a “Ghost Dance,” which troops reportedly mistook for a war dance. When a soldier tried to confiscate a weapon from a belligerent tribal member, the gun discharged, igniting a mad storm of confusion. Some of the Lakota members reportedly tried to fight back before deciding instead to run. An estimated 250-300 Native Americans, mostly women and children, were killed in the incident. About 25-30 U.S. soldiers were killed.
But American records reported this incident as a battle, to the point that 20 U.S. soldiers were awarded the nation’s highest military citation, the Medal of Honor, for their actions.
Now, renewed efforts are being made in Washington to rescind the 20 medals that were awarded for a battle that never was, for a slaughter that still haunts and angers Native American tribes.
Rescinding these medals would be the right thing to do.
Legislation was introduced in Congress last month to do just that in an effort to right, at least somewhat, a terrible wrong in our history. According to the Washington Examiner, the measure - introduced by Democratic Reps. Denny Heck of Washington and Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Republican Rep. Paul Cook of California - is called the Remove the Stain Act. It is also being promoted by O.J. Semans, a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe and co-founder of Four Directions, a Native American voting rights organization.
“I believe the introduction of this bill today shows the continued work and strength of the Native American people who have fought for over a century for the United States to acknowledge the genocide of our people that has taken place on this soil,” Haaland said.
Seeking to historically right the wrong perception of Wounded Knee is not a new quest. In 1990, Congress officially apologized to the descendants of the victims of Wounded Knee, but left the 20 Medals of Honor in place. The Associated Press reported that, in 1996, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) received a petition to rescind the medals, but McCain replied in a letter that a change in historical view on the massacre did not warrant the revocation.
However, without revoking these Medals of Honor, the winner’s history seems to be having it both ways. The apology appears to acknowledge the mistake, but keeping these honors in place indicates that the 1890 event is still classified at some level as a military battle.
These two views cannot be reconciled historically or militarily, and the apology effectively means nothing without the revocation of the medals. That is the only logical action that can be taken.
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Rapid City Journal, July 11
State should guarantee ambulance service for rally
In a few days, hundreds of thousands of visitors will begin roaring into the Black Hills with the ultimate destination being the Sturgis motorcycle rally - an event that puts this area on the world stage.
These motorcyclists will pump millions of dollars into South Dakota’s economy and one of the biggest beneficiaries is state and local governments. Last year, the state reported collecting $1.3 million in sales tax alone from temporary vendors.
As state Revenue Supervisor Lori Haupt so aptly said after the 2018 rally, “The Sturgis motorcycle rally is an important event for South Dakota.”
The vendor figure, however, represents just a small portion of the tax bounty collected when 400,000 or 500,000 mostly well-heeled baby boomers visit the area over a 10-day period.
Convenience stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, campgrounds, mechanics, retailers, motorcycle dealerships, tourist attractions and others all collect sales tax from them while they enjoy the ride and the Black Hills.
In return, the state should do all it can to be good hosts and help provide essential services to our visitors. It is, as we like to say, the South Dakota way.
This year, however, a problem exists that could cast a cloud over South Dakota’s premiere event if revenue is the deciding factor. There’s a real possibility that ambulance service will not be available to many of our visitors.
The city-run Sturgis Ambulance Service, like similar operations across the nation, is running a deficit - in this case $85,000 - and is on the verge of reducing its coverage area to slow the bleeding. At this very moment, the Sturgis City Council is trying to find a solution to what has become a complicated local problem.
It will again try to find a workable solution at its next meeting, which is Monday. If none is arrived at, it’s a real possibility that no ambulance service will be available for thousands and thousands of visitors, people who will be pouring money into the economy.
The clock is ticking. The rally officially starts on Aug. 2, but motorcyclists as well as vendors will be showing up before then.
It’s time for the state to step in and do something.
One of the reasons the Sturgis Ambulance Service is running a deficit is the rally. This relatively small operation faces a daunting challenge every year, one that would test any ambulance service. The state certainly recognizes that challenge in other areas. For example, it provides additional law enforcement resources during the rally.
Why can’t the state do the same thing for the ambulance service this year?
If the state is worried about a return on a public health investment, it should stop and think about the costs of someone dying that it is attributed to the lack of an ambulance service. The ensuing publicity would not be good, but it likely would go viral.
It’s just not visitors who could be affected by this. Many Black Hills residents and their loved ones stay at or go to concerts and other events at the many campgrounds that would lose ambulance service if some entity doesn’t step up and at least provide a short-term solution.
Then one must consider that the majority of these visitors are baby boomers, who are far more likely to need medical attention for a number of serious ailments. Every year clinics and hospitals are strained by the large influx of patients during the rally.
It would be a wise move for a state that has received millions of dollars in tax revenue over the years and seen its tourism profile boosted immeasurably by the rally to spend a little money to guarantee ambulance service during this year’s rally and give Sturgis more time to solve a problem that is in part due to the rally.
No one wants the state to get involved in every county ambulance dispute, but this one is too important to let ride as is.
A one-time emergency has presented itself and the state needs to act before it is too late.
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