opinion

Editorial: Paul TenHaken most prepared to lead Sioux Falls

When the Sioux Falls mayoral campaign was narrowed to a two-person runoff earlier this month, we challenged the candidates to use their visibility and voices to differentiate themselves from each other.

Though Paul TenHaken and Jolene Loetscher are both political newcomers with an opportunity to bring fresh leadership to Sioux Falls, it was crucial to shed light on which candidate was most prepared to guide a growing city into a challenging new era, and to hit the ground running.

As the May 1 election approaches, those distinctions have been drawn. It is our conclusion that TenHaken’s experience and leadership qualities make him the best choice to succeed Mike Huether as the city’s next mayor.

Sioux Falls election: Inside the business views of Loetscher, TenHaken

The former ClickRain CEO has done an effective job of not just selling himself as a candidate but sharing a vision of what his administration might look like when the campaign bluster subsides.

Of course, there is more to being mayor than a four-page “100 Day Strategy” can articulate, and the city’s drug and crime issues are far more complex than simply steering more resources toward the police department.

But TenHaken’s emphasis on using City Hall as a hub to communicate and coordinate on vital issues rings true as a leadership asset, as does his sharing of power within the executive branch.

Having a strong mayor doesn’t mean one person calling all the shots. It requires a delicate dance of weighing the views of business and policy influencers while incorporating city council perspectives and the everyday concerns of residents, all while keeping a firm hand on the reins.

TenHaken has promised to bring more City Hall perspective to economic development talks, hold regular sitdown sessions with city councilors and improve partnerships with neighboring municipalities whose prospects are linked to Sioux Falls.

Those are encouraging insights, but there are concerns as well.

One of them involves TenHaken’s connection to business leaders who stand to benefit from an overpass at 85th Street over Interstate 29, one of the infrastructure priorities from his campaign.

Finding a way to separate what is good for private developers personally and what benefits the city overall (with the acknowledgement that both can be true at the same time) will be a critical test of his ability to lead.

It will also be important for TenHaken to make sure his well-founded Christian faith remains a private aspect of his family’s life and doesn’t encroach on more secular aspects of public governance.

In addition, some of TenHaken’s comments on transparency have seemed, well, less than transparent. He initially discussed changing rules on public input at city council meetings without offering specifics on how public voices will be heard. He also wavered on whether he would release a report on Premier Center siding that Huether’s administration refused to make public because it was in “draft” form.

We sincerely hope that all the talk about open government and transparency wasn’t lip service, and it won’t take long to find out if TenHaken is elected.

As for Loetscher, the small business owner and former TV reporter ran a strong, polished campaign that surprised many pundits and opponents. It’s possible that she needed to come out swinging in the runoff to make up percentage points from the initial vote, but the strategy did not serve her well.

Hinting at hacking from her opponent without evidence and falsely portraying a voicemail from TenHaken as nefarious undid much of the goodwill that Loetscher amassed during her campaign, but her status as a refreshing voice remains.

While much political energy in Sioux Falls is expended on the mainstream concerns of middle- or upper-class residents, Loetscher wasn’t afraid to champion the rights of citizens from all backgrounds and beliefs.

More: 'My heart is here': TenHaken aims to bring growth, leadership to City Hall

More: 'Moving forward': Loetscher touts leadership, passion for inclusion

She also brought a more nuanced discussion to drug and crime issues, correctly assessing that addressing sociological cycles, behavioral intervention and education could have more lasting long-term benefit than merely hiking up arrest rates.

The fact that these issues came to light during the runoff and helped voters distinguish between the candidates is a positive sign for Sioux Falls. Both newcomers displayed qualities that showed their political careers could just be beginning, but TenHaken is the one most prepared to seize the moment.

Editor’s note: Though community at-large members are a key part of the mission of the Argus Leader editorial board, such members were not part of the discussions involving this endorsement.

More: TenHaken campaign contributors want Interstate 29 overpass at 85th Street

More: No suspects, no early evidence of hacking in Loetscher campaign, law enforcement says

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