You can’t make this stuff up.
In the last day or so, Gubernatorial Candidate Toby Doeden joined Taffy Howard, the person who has been arm-in-arm with him since day 1 of his campaign and joined the fight against the Rapid City sports complex tax increment finance district.
Doeden’s PAC, which he has financed almost exclusively and has used in conjunction with all of his political efforts sent out a text blast to Rapid City residents and derided the Rapid City Destination District TIF that’s coming up for a vote on January 20 as “corporate welfare.”
Certainly gubernatorial candidate Toby Doeden can say whatever he wants (as he often does). But once again, Doeden demonstrates that he is the case study for “do as I say, not as I do.” Because just a short time ago, in 2023 – just before he voted in his first Republican primary – Doeden applied for and agreed to a Tax Increment Finance development agreement with the City of Aberdeen:
In case you don’t believe me, read the receipts for yourself, complete with documents signed by Toby Doeden, Developer:
Toby Doeden – Plaza Rentals Aberdeen TIF Application by Pat Powers
Wait-a-minute… Gubernatorial wannabe Toby thinks TIFs in Rapid City are “corporate welfare”, but TIFs in Aberdeen are magically good when he signs them? And what about the Rapid City Destination District’s chief opponent Taffy Howard?
Howard is one of the organizers of the group opposing the Destination District, which claims ” This TIF district directly impacts taxpayers and threatens future funding for our schools and infrastructure, all while keeping our property taxes high” and that “tax breaks are handed out at the expense of our community’s future.” In fact, Howard has already declared that she’s going to bring legislation to limit tax increment finance districts, because she claims “they help build private business.”
Yet, at the same time Taffy has openly endorsed Toby Doeden as a candidate:
I believe the quote she has is claiming he’s a “forward-thinking, successful businessman.” Yet nothing about his use of TIF funding. That seems to be a pretty egregious sin of omission.
Of course, Doeden’s group calling out TIFs as corporate welfare might pale against other forms of corporate welfare that are out there. Such as the corporate welfare of $1.1 Million in free money his other business – the Aberdeen Auto Center – received from COVID loans. Loans which ended up being forgiven, so they truly were corporate welfare. Especially in Toby’s case.
So when Toby Doeden’s PAC sends out text messaging blasts slamming the Liberty Land district as “corporate welfare,” Toby Doeden would be the expert on corporate welfare. Because when it comes to corporate welfare, there’s not many who know better in South Dakota how to go get some. Clearly, the Doeden for Governor campaign’s new rallying cry is “TIF’s for me, but not for Thee!”
It’s ok for Toby. But what about us peasants? I thought Taffy says that’s being a “forward-thinking, successful businessman.”
Just keep that in mind when you consider how to vote.
The other candidates for governor should be issuing statements calling on Doeden to repay his TIF funds to “We the People.”
Others should also be urging Senator Howard to publicly denounce Toby Doeden for his use of TIFs and for being a beneficiary of “crony capitalism.”
A Doeden administration would mirror Trump’s blatant pay to play corruption that is by far the worst in US History, Will there be a Doeden ballroom added to the Governor’s mansion? Doeden video lottery machines in the Capitol?
Can’t make this shit up! What an absolute joke!
TIFs threaten future infrastructure? How do they do that? They are used for infrastructure that otherwise would have to be paid upfront. Not long ago, the municipality was the one footing the bill for new infrastructure to a development or project. They don’t take money from taxpayers. Everything taffy says is disingenuous or a bold face lie.
Thinking of Toby and his TIF and Toby and his proposal to eliminate property taxes…. Anyone wondering how tifs are going to be repaid without property taxes?
Okay, so what (in layman’s terms) is a TIF? It’s a project that is built and, once it is locally assessed to calculate property taxes due, uses or directs those property taxes (that are still paid by the project) to repay a portion of the specific infrastructure costs incurred to make the project happen for a set period of years. True, those property taxes paid do not go directly into the coffers of the local governments for the period of time covered under the TIF, but remember, those tax dollars also do not exist currently either. However, once the TIF’s period of time is completed, those property taxes then do flow into those local governments as new revenue that currently does not exist prior to the project being built.
The whole concept is: would a project, including all the infrastructure costs required to support the project, be feasible without the TIF? If the answer is no, then there is no project built and no future tax dollars going to local governments without the TIF. So (without a TIF), 100% of $0.00 dollars collected remains at $0.00 of new property dollars for local governments. If the project happens with a TIF, the project owner who risked their finances to create the project gets repaid a portion of the infrastructure costs (according to the specifics of the TIF) for a period of time — after which time, those new property taxes created by the project, then flow to local governments going forward. …along with sales tax benefits, ancillary job creation, etc.
The laws currently on the state books regarding TIFs let local governments decide whether or not they’d like to see job creation and a future expanded tax base by allowing a project investor to recoup a portion of the expenses required to make the project happen for a period of time before those NEW property tax dollars then flow to those local governments that approve of the project and the TIF.
Seems pretty simple to me: 100% of $0.00 is still $0.00. Or, create new investments and grow the tax base. Instant gratification mentality or be a forward-thinker.
Every developer seems to get tax breaks and property taxes keep going up.
My property taxes went down about 10 percent last year and they will most likely decline again this year. Our small community used a TIF for a housing development because our city could not afford to put the infrastructure in. In our case, growth = lower property taxes.
Curious if you would share what community this is and the specific TIF you’re referring to? That sounds like a great case example.
we are 4 years into our housing tif in corsica and will have it paid off in less than 4 years
What a turd
Remember, it is TIFs for me, BUT FOR no TIFs for thee.
It will be said much during the sessions this year, and people will confuse “but for” with “butt fore.” That is understandable, just like most people confuse Ms. Taffy with Mr. Pischke. They sound the same, but look different.
grudznick loves that joke. An old fellow told it to me last Sunday at the breakfasting when the debates were ranting about the LibertyLand behind the mall there. There is prolly an opportunity for somebody to print tee-shirts with Ms. Taffy on the front thrusting forwards “BUT FOR”, and Mr. Pischke on the back, thrusting backwards “BUTT FORE”. Somebody smarter than grudznick would have to draw the pictures, and hand them out for free around the City of Rapid.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS_qox-zyNdqmOcWpnhKGpgYnfNHAjjGPeGOg&s
One TIF might work, but they are in MOST cases abused. Meaning they can also receive sales tax refunds, BID Tax, discretionary tax formulas, and the list goes on and on with government funding. If one TIF were paid off maybe they would help the taxpayer, but 3 more are created before one is paid off, leaving a heavy debt load in bond redemption for the local property tax payer. Ask yourself why a community of 15K, have 11 active TIFS, why they are giving away sales tax dollars for development, BID tax for development, etc.. There is property tax growth, but at the same time the county is broke, the city has bonded indebtedness that is out of this world, and they have opted out of the property tax limitation set by the legislature. In addition the school district has opted out as well. 11% of my property tax bill is for opt outs.
If somebody wants to build let them, just like a fore-fathers built there own, prior to government handouts at taxpayer expense.
Despite what some uninformed, uneducated, movers and shakers will tell you, TIFs are at taxpayer expense, always have been, always will be. Professional economists have been telling taxpayers that for years.
The lights and glitter that is bestowed upon local elected officials when giving the taxpayer money to wealthy developers is a sickening and contagious disease. It will eventually destroy government and the taxpayers forced to fund it. Then what will happen?
Just remember anytime somebody says taxpayer funded development reduces a taxpayers liability, it is a flatfooted lie.
Sorry, but you sound like the uninformed one. Did just enough reading to think you’re smart. BID taxes don’t have anything to do local government except that they are the ones that have to collect them. Businesses form their own BID districts, often dragging other businesses into them that want no part of it. The fact that you brought BIDs into the discussion just shows how ignorant you are. I had never seen a case where discretionary formulas and TIFs are used together because it makes it almost impossible to pay the TIF back. I guess it would depend on the formula, but it’s generally a nonstarter. There is also a limit based on debt ratio as to how many tifs you can have, or at least the total amount of those tifs. In a majority of cases the TIF actually avoids the need for the municipality to bond a project. You managed to conflate a lot of things in this rambling post that don’t have much, if anything, to do with each other. In the future, if you don’t know what the hell you are talking about, just don’t post. It will save us all from having to sift through your BS.
Hahaha what a dope.
It’s rare but this thread has some facts, usually I just defer to grudznick. I would add a couple of things – first, all TIF’s have to be approved by the governing body. That requires at least one reading, maybe two, a fairly detailed plan, projections on the tax receipts, etc.. If a taxpayer has an interest then they have the opportunity to participate in that conversation. Also, not all TIF’s are the same. In fact, they’re all different. Some are small and project specific, an acre or a block. Some are larger like a downtown district. To lump them all together and to declare them all corporate welfare is just protest noise and isn’t looking at the whole picture.
Good job in getting all the documents to show what a fraud he is.
There are SO many things that Toady will not be able to answer well beyond TIFs. He’s a broadstroke answer kind of guy because he doesn’t know the details. I’m simply shocked at any of his supporters. Certainly going to be interesting,
He’s a loudmouth populist, just like the guy in the White House. Of course he has supporters in SD.
He did the same thing with PPP collected millions of dollars none of which went towards paying his employees then bitched about all the fraud that happened with it.
Find out how much COVID relief money the candidates have gotten. In particular Toby Won WantYourMoney. I’d like to see those numbers for the candidates and then we’ll see just how much he hates (loves) corporate welfare.
Well…Toby was 1.2 million as stated in the post…
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more. She’ll companies and dummy corporations set up in his kid’s names
Ironically most car dealerships saw record profits during COVID based on inventory shortages and record high prices in the used market. The funny part of this whole thing is that DWC is living rent free in the Hansen and Doeden camps. The unofficial spokespersons for each, the SAHM and the court-ordered Anger Management Counseling client are in a war of Chat GPT tirades on the book face. Hopefully someone doesn’t break the conditions of their sentence on their suspended imposition over politics.
RINO reactionary Chat GPT is doing damage control for the Team Toby RINO herd. After glancing at his anger consumed tirades one has to wonder when he will blow a gasket again.
Anonymous 9:21- You are living in the dark with your eyes closed. How naive can a person otherwise be. I have worked extensively with TIFs, I know exactly what is going on. Read the laws that govern TIFs and ALL THE REFERENCES it refers to in state statute. Furthermore you are absolutely uniformed and in no position to understand as to what goes on inside those TIFs when and after they are formed. Some include BID money inside them, BBB tax inside them, city sales tax refunds inside them, all as incentives for the developer in the name of economic development at the expense of taxpayers. This BS is going on in a number of cities currently using and abusing the TIFs, I know as I live in one them. Do your homework before you spout off and a fool of yourself.
It is easy to say that you think you have money, but it is probably government money paid to you by the unsuspecting taxpayer through some oblique government program you latched onto, be it local, state, or federal. If so, shame on you.
How does it feel to be patted on the back by a few movers and shakers who always stand ready to fleece and lie to the unsuspecting taxpayer?
Bud. I bet have a little more tif experience than you. Certainly not saying every tif is created equal and I don’t approve of all of them, but you are making some BIG stretches.
Anonymous 9:21- How about the TIFs that have been created that are also home to 501-3’s, government buildings, churches, yet undeveloped parcels, and city owned golf courses that lose money annually. Don’t tell the public TIFs reduce taxes, because they never live up to their full potential. When the question of economic return is asked the answer is always substantial, they can’t even give an educated hard number estimate.
Furthermore land is being given to these developers at a cost well below the city’s cost and appraised value. There are instances were a TIF was formed and developed and the building sets empty yet after 2 years. That same developer 1 year ago was also delinquent in property tax payments on several other properties owned by them. Don’t ever tell a taxpayer TIFs will reduce their tax bill. If TIFs actually did enhance property tax revenue cities, counties, and school districts would never have difficulty with their budgets and they would never have to use opt outs to enhance or balance a budget. Municipal sales tax, BID tax, BBB tax, and surcharges were met to enhance local government budgets and stop burgeoning of the property tax, not to supplement giveaways for developers already in a TIF. Oh how government can circumvent the law for a wealthy developer at taxpayer expense.
Tifs aren’t bad. Tifs aren’t good. They are just a tool. Often a very necessary and helpful tool. Local governments have most of the control regarding tifs. They can do what they want and the voters can attend the meetings and voice their support or displeasure and vote in or out people who they feel don’t reflect their community concerns or values. That’s the problem with local government. The locals have to participate. This tif hate has gotten way out of hand and will affect a lot of good projects.
My valuations have gone up 5-7 percent a year over the last 3 years. My property taxes have decreased by the same percentage over that period. An affordable housing TIF and growth has made this possible. 7 acres that sat empty for 25 years that the city could not afford to throw money to get infrastructure in place was developed with a TIF. I saw the numbers from the developer. He did not get rich. It gave his subcontractors good work for 2-3 years which supported families. All houses were sold quickly. The problem with our state is Rapid City or Sioux Falls shits in their pants and the rest of the state is forced to wear a diaper. Same issue with property taxes. 66 counties with different opportunities and challenges and Taffy wants to try and solve everything with a one size fits all solution. Good luck.
– Oh, BTW.. For our friends who are reading, there is more than this free forgiven COVID loan. This is just the largest one.
Doeden is a government hand-out freebie dweebie.
Taffyhoward don’t care, she gonna eat a snake
Just saw Toby grocery shopping at Kesslers now known as Coburns in Aberdeen. Thought he would be laying low since the NSU football game incident.
OK, let’s throw the PPP loan out of the discussion. Doeden still took a huge TIF. Everything Taffy has spoken out against. The following verbiage is directly from Doeden’s TIF. Doeden was the developer. Here is the verbiage from the TIF. “The Developer has indicated the project is not feasible without the assistance of the Tax Increment District.” Un fricken real. Taffy and Tonchi constantly harp that if it’s a solid business plan, there shouldn’t be a TIF needed for all these high priced developers taking corporate welfare. And there was almost 200k granted for landscaping and sidewalks……….Doesn’t sound like infrastructure to me.
T n T are a positive feedback loop for each others’ half-knowledge, plus a stubborn adherence to said loop to lock the inaccuracies place good and tight. The faulty logic of making developers front all infrastructure costs on day one, instead of using the proven TIF financing mechanism in its proper forms. Libertyland may or may not be the voters’ idea of the best idea of a proposal to support at this time, but any problems don’t stem from TIF financing. PLEASE stop using TIF as a convenient hot-potato water-muddying political bludgeon of gross misinformation. It’s a good tool and possibly right for a project like this, so debate the project itself ok?
No one cares about wealthy people getting hand outs. We have to get angry at poor minorities who get free cash.