As I reflect on the past seven and a half years of serving as Sioux Falls Mayor and look ahead to the future of our incredible city, I’m proud and optimistic. If you haven’t heard me say this previously, I reference a phrase quite often, “The Sioux Falls we love today did not happen by accident.” Instead, it is the direct result of intentional decisions—a delicate balance between foundational investments that secure our present and transformational investments that pave the way for a vibrant future. I’m proud that we have been able to keep this balance throughout my tenure as Sioux Falls experienced historic growth. As we head into the final months of my time in office, we still have plenty of work ahead that will continue long after my term.
“We still have six months left of work, and I plan to run through the finish line strong.”
Sioux Falls continues to be a place where people want to live, work, play, and invest. We expect our population to grow 2-3% annually, which pushed us over 220,000 people in 2026. Last year, we saw more than $1.2 billion invested through commercial and residential building. This growth is a testament to the hard work, vision, and commitment of many of you in this association. Your efforts are helping build the future of Sioux Falls, providing the homes and spaces that accommodate our expanding population and thriving economy.
Looking ahead to 2026, we remain committed to strategic, sustainable growth in all facets, whether it’s public safety, infrastructure, or quality of life. Sioux Falls Fire Rescue will add our 13th fire station to the northwest area of the city. We will also have the opportunity to add several more police officers to the Sioux Falls Police Department to continue supporting our growing city and remain a safe community.
Significant infrastructure investments will also be made this year. Construction will continue on Sewer Basin 15, which will be eventually open thousands of acres of land on the west side of the city, while we begin construction on another critical sewer basin on the southeast side of Sioux Falls for future development. The first phase of Sewer Basin 15 is expected to wrap up in the spring of this year with the second phases following later in the year. As many of you are well aware, this is one of the very first utilities required to unlock land for development and accommodate growth.
“Sioux Falls continues to be a place where people want to live, work, play, and invest.”
In addition, more work will be made on the third connection to the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System in 2026. This will bolster our capacity to supply this vital resource to our growing community. We are also continuing our historic transportation investments, with ongoing work on the intersection of Arrowhead and Veterans Parkways and the interchange at I-229 and Cliff Avenue.
Our Parks and Recreation team is also expected to break ground on the new outdoor aquatics experience at Kuehn Park this spring.
As we work on these foundational investments, early in the year we will be keeping a close eye on the 2026 legislative session in Pierre. The consideration of further property tax reform could continue to impact the city’s budget, along with our county and school district partners. With the passage of Senate Bill 216 in 2025, we expect at least a $25 million revenue reduction in property taxes over the next 10 years. Because of this permanent revenue reduction, we have been working to reduce our operational spending by $8-$10 million over the next couple of years. Much of this work started in last year’s budget process, which reduced some of our full-time employees and affected some of our service levels.
Your partnership has been invaluable over the last seven and a half years, and I appreciate your willingness to collaborate for the betterment of our community. We still have six months left of work, and I plan to run through the finish line strong. Thank you for your continued work in making our region one of the best in the nation.
