Rapid City is facing a nearly $500,000 cut in federal funds for low income housing. Housing and Urban development funds are used to help in housing issues, funding head start, spurring economic development, and other efforts. Last year the city received $466,188 in funds but that may be eliminated completely due to the sequestration cuts according to the Rapid City Journal. Read more »
Rapid City Sewer Bill Rates Questioned
At the Rapid City Legal & Finance May 1 meeting, Council member Charity Doyle questioned the city's method of determining sewer rates. Currently, residents who do not use any water in the first three months of the year are charged a default 7-unit rate, which is among the highest rates charged to residential sewer usage. The full story may be read in the Rapid City Journal and a collection of Read more »
Soccer Rapid City To Begin Construction This Fall
Soccer Rapid City is planning to break ground this fall on a soccer complex with 12 fields this fall. Once additional money is allocated the complex will build additional fields. Read more »
Annexation Decision of Exit 17 Postponed
At a Spearfish City Council meeting, the decision has been made to put off the annexation process of the proposed 160 acres at Exit 17, according to the Black Hills Pioneer. Concerns have been raised over the amount of time that it would take for the development to generate the property tax revenue to cover the costs of city services. Read more »
Budget Cuts Could Have Been Worse for Rapid City Schools
Rapid City School Superintendent Tim Mitchell reports that he is happy that the projected federal budget cuts are not larger. The automatic budget cuts-known as sequester-have been revealed. This will allow planning to begin for next year's budget. The full article may be read in the Rapid City Journal. Read more »
Agreement to Be Made to Resume Payments for TIF District #65
Tax increment districts provide an incentive to build, allowing increases in property taxes from the district to go towards the payment of developer’s loans. Recently the first phase of payments has been completed for tax increment district #65.
According to a Rapid City Journal article, Rapid City must sign a new agreement to continue sending property tax income to the bank during its second phase of the loan. Read more »
Parking Rate Increase on City Council Agenda
The Rapid City Council will discuss increasing rates on leased parking spots after the Legal & Finance Committee voted 3-1 to send the resolution to the full council. City Finance Officer Pauline Sumption wrote a memo outlining the need for additional income for the city to meet its bond obligations, and proposing different payment plans. Read more »
Senate Bill Would Limit TIFs
Under SB 129 if a city creates a new TIF, the county would not be responsible for paying additional property taxes, and vice versa. The Rapid City Journal reported that Ron Buskerud, a Pennington County commissioner, was in favor of the bill because Pennington had to give up $1.8 million in property tax revenue for payment of Rapid City TIFs. Read more »
COMPASS Committee All Business in First Open Meeting
The COMPASS committee held its first meeting following the Rapid City Council ruling that the meetings would have to be public. According to the Rapid City Journal, the meeting was short and was focused on audits started in 2012, as well as making a timeline for audits in 2013 and 2014. Read more »
Game, Fish and Parks Seeking $4 Million for Projects
South Dakota GF&P Department officials preseted to the state legislature’s joint committee on appropriations, seeking $4 million to fulfill the Governor's requests according to a recent Rapid City Journal article. Read more »
