Councilman Jurrens Calls for "Responsible Growth" and Public Education on TIFs

Northeast Radio SD - WATERTOWN, SD – Following a week of significant municipal developments, Watertown City Councilman Lynn Jurrens joined The People’s Pulse to discuss the complexities of urban expansion, the future of the city’s street department, and the growing debate surrounding Tax Increment Financing (TIF).

The Annexation Debate

The conversation began with a look back at the January 20th City Council meeting, where Dave Eide, manager of Coddington Clark Electric, raised concerns about the annexation of territory into the city’s limits. Eide characterized the move as a “government taking” of private business and suggested that the Municipal Utilities Board should be an elected rather than appointed body.

“Grassroots politics is about people being allowed to have their opinion,” Jurrens said, acknowledging the tension between rural cooperatives and municipal expansion. “The state legislature heard both sides a couple of years ago, and the vote said no [to the co-ops]. Now they are taking it to the grassroots. It’s important to have good equipment and keep rural communities running, but sometimes things just need to be mixed up a little bit.”

The Reality of TIFs

A major focus of the interview was the upcoming housing conference on February 12th, featuring keynote speaker Toby Morris. Jurrens urged citizens to educate themselves on Tax Increment Financing, citing a recent landmark vote in Rapid City where a TIF for “Liberty Land” was referred to and overturned by voters.

“Watertown has about 20 TIFs on the books right now,” Jurrens noted. “Not every TIF should get authorized. It’s about responsible growth. The city basically bets on future growth—freezing today’s tax level and using the future ‘extra’ money to pay for improvements now. If the values don’t increase, it gets interesting.”

Jurrens emphasized that for TIFs to work for affordable housing, the city must be diligent in vetting developers and contractors to ensure projects are completed as promised.

Infrastructure and Revenue

Jurrens also addressed the long-discussed $28 million street facility project. He advocated for a more “realistic” budget, suggesting that the city doesn’t need a “Taj Mahal,” but rather a functional facility where hydraulics can be kept warm. Hence, equipment is ready for 3:00 a.m. snow removal.

Despite infrastructure costs, Jurrens highlighted a “positive pulse” in the city: sales tax revenue is up. “People are still coming to Watertown, and they are still buying,” he said, crediting local businesses and regional draw for keeping the city’s finances strong without the need for a “curb tax” (property tax increase).