Senator Taffy Howard (R-34/Rapid City) sent me a press release this morning announcing that she and her compatriots on the “No Free Rides Committee” will hold a press conference next week to explain to public why they should vote against the Libertyland Tax Increment Finance District. The anti-TIF event takes place Tuesday, November 18, 1 p.m. Mountain, at Rapid City Hall, 300 6th Street.
Serving on this committee, which collected 4,326 valid signatures to refer this TIF to a vote on January 20, is Tonchi Weaver, one of Howard’s fellow Black Hills right-wingers and an avid petitioner. Also serving on the committee is Jay Davis, a loyal Democrat and an avid petitioner. Weaver and Davis are listed not only as committee members but as press contacts.
I welcome debate over the merits of using tax dollars to finance a theme-park facsimile of the Black Hills (because, what, Deadwood, Keystone, and Hill City don’t offer sufficiently authentic Black Hills experiences?). But one of the unexpected merits of this government-largesse-dependent projects is its ability to bring liberals and conservatives together in a civic crusade.
By the way, the No Free Rides website isn’t bad… and their poster is great:
Pro Dakota/Disney
It is beautifully designed.
How does the “$20 million funded Scull Tactical Shooting Center for Militia” rate on the TIF scale? Just asking.
Can our kids learn to fire machine guns? Shoot their parents?
SD radical right wing values. JFC
I used to feel sorry for the poor slobs who live in South Dakota but that’s all over now.
Well done.