Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

Weather check: Heatin' up

🎉 Still celebrating: Did you miss our email yesterday? No sweat – the big news is that this week, we've released a brand new resource to empower you to shape Sioux Falls' future. Sound cool? It is. We're calling it "Sioux Falls 101," and you can check it out here.

  • Want to take things a step further? You can also use code IMCOOL to save 50% off an annual SF Simplified membership and we'll send you our cool little "where do I start" quiz to help you figure out the aspects of civic engagement that best suit your interests.
If peein' your pants is cool, just call me Miles Davis.

This week, the City Council is digging into the mayor's proposed budget, and I also spent some time looking at how the city budget has grown over the last decade – particularly as it relates to public safety. You'll also find a few Super Simplified Stories and a whole bunch of events to soak up every last drop of summer vacation.

And now, news:

CITY

How public safety spending is outpacing Sioux Falls' growth

Simplified: By nearly all metrics, the Sioux Falls police and fire departments have grown faster than both the population and the crime rate. Here’s a look at how public safety spending has increased over the last decade and how that trend is projected to continue into 2026. 

Why it matters

  • Public safety (police and fire) is the fastest-growing sector of city government. Annual spending has increased by 68% since 2016, and that’s before you take into account special projects like the new $55 million public safety campus.
  • Certainly that growth is due, in part, to the significant population growth Sioux Falls has seen over that time. But, even when you account for a growing population, the city is spending more per capita on police and fire than it was a decade prior, according to budget analysis from Sioux Falls Simplified. 
    • Finance Director Shawn Pritchett attributes the increase to inflation and an increasingly competitive market for hiring police officers, which has also led to significant wage increases. The starting salary for police officers is projected to be more than $72,000 next year – an increase of about 47% since 2016.
  • Meanwhile, Mayor Paul TenHaken is proposing an additional two dozen public safety employees as well as an approximately $1 million increase to overtime for police and fire departments in next year’s budget, despite his statements last month about the need for belt-tightening. 
“As part of our recalibration efforts we’re also asking our public safety, police and fire, to look critically at their overtime costs and evaluate where they can potentially find efficiencies without risking the community’s safety,” TenHaken said. 

But what about crime rates? 

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

  • A sign summer is ending. The city this week released the closing schedule for outdoor pools. First to close will be Frank Olson and Terrace Park on Aug. 10, followed by Drake Springs on Aug. 24. Kuehn Park and Laurel Oak pools will close Aug. 31, and then the three public spray parks/splash pads – at Pioneer Park, Hayward Park and Jacobson Plaza – will close Sunday, Sept. 21. The city will also reduce pool hours starting Aug. 10.
  • Help fight child hunger. It's BackPack Week for Feeding South Dakota, a special campaign to fight child hunger in schools by providing weekend meals to children. Donations made this week will be matched, which means now is the time to double your impact. Learn more and donate here.
  • Meet Axiom.* Axiom Construction Group is a Sioux Falls-based design-build firm that delivers custom commercial and industrial builds with thoughtful design, complete transparency, and craftsmanship that is second to none. As a design-build contractor, they manage every detail of your project, from design through construction and beyond. Whether breaking ground on a new build or breathing new life into an existing building with a strategic remodel, Axiom will create a space that fosters growth and success for your business. Learn more here.

*Denotes paid partnership

EVENTS

Stuff to do: Aug. 6-12

  • This little piggy went to story time. Stockyards Ag Experience is bringing back Piglet Story Time this Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. You can enjoy a fun agricultural story told with the help of a real life cutie little piglet. Details here.
  • Know your worth. SD CEO East Women's Business Center is hosting the fourth annual Women's Visionary Summit on Thursday starting at 8 a.m. at the Canopy hotel downtown. You can join a roomful of female business owners and innovators empowering one another. Get tickets here.
  • A mini race for the minis. The parks department is hosting a mini triathlon for kids age 6 to 18. Swim, bike and run at Kuehn Park Friday morning. Details here.
  • Feel the winds. Four Winds Music and Art Festival is back in town this weekend with dozens of bands playing across several downtown venues. If you, like me, were a South Dakota alt-rock kid coming of age in the early 'aughts, you may be excited to learn that the Spill Canvas is one of the headliners (celebrating the 20th anniversary of their album One Fell Swoop – but that doesn't make us old, right??) Details and tickets here.
  • Shop local. It's the second Saturday of the month, and that means it's time for the Second Saturday Market at 8th and Railroad. Find local vendors, live music, food trucks, games and more. Details here.
  • Meet me at the fair. The Sioux Empire Fair is underway, and there's more fun to come throughout the week, including music, ag appreciation, pig pals and the championship rodeo. Get all the details here.

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

ICYMI

More Simplified Stories

Get a look at planned updates for Siouxland Libraries’ Oak View Branch
A library on the northeast side of Sioux Falls is getting a glow up this summer – including a fenced-in outdoor patio space. Here’s what you need to know about renovations at the Siouxland Libraries’ Oak View Branch.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
Fun for all: Meet the nonprofit bringing the disability community together
In just over a year, Fun & Friends has brought together hundreds of families with children with disabilities, rare diseases and who are on the spectrum – all for the sake of having fun with casual, free, consistent events.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
Start here: Sioux Falls 101
Want to get involved in the decisions that shape Sioux Falls? Start here to get a local government crash course.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMakayla Voris

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Thank you

Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, Great Bear Ski Valley, Encompass Mental Health, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.

Oh, by the way

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