What the City Council wants state lawmakers to focus on in 2025

Megan Raposa -

Simplified: The Sioux Falls City Council is looking to send a short and sweet wish list to lawmakers in Pierre, citing success with that approach last year. Here's a look at what they're thinking.

Why it matters

  • In previous years, the list of legislative priorities was much longer, with more than a dozen items the council deemed important. In recent years, though, the approach has been to limit to about a half-dozen items in the hopes that at least a few Sioux Falls-endorsed ideas make it to the governor's desk.
  • It's an approach with some record of success. Last year, for example, the city asked lawmakers to allow the Delbridge Museum collection of taxidermy specimen to be donated out-of-state.
    • That passed into state law, and the city is now in the process of collecting interest from any in- or out-of-state nonprofits.
  • This year, the first draft of legislative priorities has five items, including efforts to increase the city's water supply and get more kids connected with childcare assistance.
"We felt it best to narrow it down to a smaller group that is more palatable and more powerful – if you're asking for two or three or four things," Councilor Curt Soehl said. "And we seem to, as you saw in the presentation, check a few of those things off."

What's on the list?

Here's a quick run-down of the first draft:

  • Support water access. The city wants to see the state allocate more money to increase water capacity – namely, a $1 million request for Dakota Mainstem to conduct "needed engineering and assessment."
  • More money for the airport. Councilors also want to see the state offering more support to the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, which is looking to add a new concourse with five new gates.
  • More families getting childcare assistance. Only about 7% of kids who qualify for childcare assistance from the state are receiving that assistance. The council would like to see the state support legislation that "creates a regulatory environment that increases enrollment" in that assistance program. (More background here.)
  • Crackdown on speed racing. Another priority of the council is making sure police have the tools they need to address speed racing.
  • Keeping kids safe. The council also supports legislation to safeguard students and educators. The draft calls for "pragmatic, realistic legislation that provides vital resources and promotes best practices for school safety."

The council had a pretty short discussion on the list of priorities, with follow-up questions on specifically what the police department is looking for, as well as more details on the airport's future plans.

What happens next?

The council is expected to get answers to their questions in the coming weeks, and then will be asked to approve a formal resolution with these priorities before the end of the year.