Council Members Approve Extension, Expansion Of SMID District

After six weeks of discussion, including nearly three hours Monday night, Sioux City council members vote to continue the self-supported municipal improvement district, with expanded borders. By a vote of 4-to-1, with Mayor Mike Hobart being the lone dissenting vote, the council approved a five year agreement... and then voted to waive the second and third readings of the ordinance. The council had considered a three year proposal, but councilman Brent Hoffman urged the group to recognize the mandate downtown businesses gave on the SMID. "In this case 8% of the people are protesting," said Brent Hoffman, Sioux City City Council Member. "We need to hear and acknowledge that, and try to improve it, but we can't let that to drive the overall vision of the city. Council Member Dave Ferris called the whole ordeal a quote "embarrassment" and a "fiasco." Roger Caudron of Downtown Partners, the group that administers the tax, says he recognizes that not every property owner is happy about tonight's decision.


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