Rapid City Council VP accuses mayor of playing politics with CPI - KOTA Territory News

Rapid City Council VP accuses mayor of playing politics with CPI tax

The Rapid City Council voted 6-4 on Monday to approve the Consumer Price Index property tax increase.
 
Mayor Sam Kooiker vetoed the measure on Friday.

Saturday, we spoke with Council vice president Charity Doyle, who takes issue not only with the veto itself, but the circumstances surrounding it.

Namely, the fact that Kooiker gave the duty of making the property tax decision to the Council in the first place in a resolution.
 
"Many of us put a lot of time and energy into studying the data," Doyle said.
 
But she said when the Council made its decision, he disregarded it.
 
"'I want the Council to do it so it's more transparent , but I don't like the result; therefore, I'll veto it,'" Doyle said. "And I just don't know that that's leadership."
 
Instead, she feels it's more like a political game.
 
"If he wanted the decision," she said, "ultimately, he should have kept the responsibility."
 
Kooiker didn't return a call for comment on this story, but told KOTA Territory News on Friday that the tax wasn't necessary because the city has eliminated several districts that rely on future tax funds.
 
"I could speculate a lot" as to the reason for the veto, said Ward 2 alderman Ritchie Nordstrom. "I will accept his rationale."
 
Nordstrom also voted for the CPI tax. And even though he stopped short of accusing the mayor of playing politics,  he said he "just can't imagine any politician not doing something for political reasons."
 
But others who opposed the increase call the accusations of political maneuvering a diversionary tactic.

He didn't have time to speak on camera on Saturday, but Ward 1 alderman Bill Clayton said some Council members are simply anti-Mayor Kooiker, and not looking out for the best interests of the city.
 
But Doyle insists the majority-approved tax increase was right for Rapid City.

"I just don't understand the logic" of the veto, she said.

The 3 percent bump in the property tax rate would have added $402,000 to city coffers at a cost of about $13 more per year per taxpayer.