SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken is running for reelection.
“It would be my honor to lead Sioux Falls forward for a second term as mayor of this city,” TenHaken said Monday afternoon at an event on the city’s bike trail.
He’s mayor now and aims to keep that title, but he’s not a fan of the term “politician.”
“I get called a lot of things, and I get insulted a lot, but if you want to insult me call me a politician because I hate the term politician because it’s become almost a negative word today because of how divisive politics has gotten,” TenHaken said.
In central Sioux Falls Monday afternoon, the mayor looked to the future and a balance.
“We’re growing so quickly that challenges come with that as well,” TenHaken said. “And we have this fine balance we’re always trying to strike where we keep stoking the fire of growth, but how do we deal with crime and homelessness and growing infrastructure needs and all these housing needs as well.”
Councilor Christine Erickson was among the members of the Sioux Falls City Council on hand at the event on the bike trail on Monday.
“I knew this was coming and really am excited for this journey for him to continue another four years potentially,” Erickson said. “And so I certainly wanted to be here to support him as a city council member and a business owner.”
“I’ll be honest with you; it’s been a extremely challenging time to serve in public office with as divisive of a society as we have right now with politics, and the pandemic has made it hard,” TenHaken said. “It’s made it hard to lead through it. But I feel like it’s a time right now when I want to step up and lead.”
The city election is April 12, 2022. In addition to the mayoral contest, four of the eight seats on the city council will also be up for grabs.