Deena Winter: Jail costs surprise some
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Since the city already had agreed to join forces with the county to help pay for a new jail, Monday’s vote to issue bonds seemed like a formality.
But taxpayers who recently got their 2008 property tax statements may have been surprised to see that the new city tax for the jail is nearly twice the rate of the county’s.
The city’s new jail line item will generate about $3 million a year, compared to $2 million for the county.
That was a shock to Councilman Jon Camp, especially since the joint jail financing plan was sold as a wash for Lincoln taxpayers. Proponents of the plan painted the plan as cost-neutral, because the city will stop paying the county $1.4 million a year to house prisoners and instead give its levy authority to the county.
So, Camp wondered, how did a $1.4 million wash become a $3 million tax? He also asked why the tax is already being levied and why the city’s share is nearly twice the county’s.
Bond counsel Lauren Wismer said the tax is being collected in 2009, so as soon as the bonds are issued next year, the city and county can start making payments.
Councilman Dan Marvin — the architect of the city-county financing plan — said the county has never hidden the fact that “there was gonna be a cost” and reminded Camp that the alternative county-only financing plan would have cost Lincoln taxpayers considerably more, especially in the initial years.
And since Lincolnites account for the vast majority of county residents, they’ll foot most of the $5 million annual bill regardless of which plan is used.
Camp looked perplexed, but later went along with a unanimous vote to issue the bonds.
The next day, he said that although the tax is already on statements and the council has voted to issue bonds, “I’m not done asking the questions.”
Arena angst
Earlier this month, council members pressed the mayor to give them financial figures on the proposed new arena they’ll be asked to seek a public vote on.
Mayor Chris Beutler demurred, saying more time is needed to put together solid numbers.
That may cost him at least one “yes” vote from the City Council when it comes time to vote on putting the issue on the May ballot.
Councilman Ken Svoboda said even though he supports building a new arena “100 percent,” he’s not going to vote to put the issue on the ballot if the city is “ill-prepared” or it appears the arena would be “going down in huge defeat.”
Instead, he said he’d push to put it on a later ballot.
Svoboda believes the mayor’s office has financial plans for several arena scenarios, and he wants time to research those figures.
“It bothers me that they don’t feel it necessary to involve the council on what those various scenarios might be,” he said. “This is a very large project for the city of Lincoln and one that isn’t going to be widely accepted and you have to market it at some time. Even if they (the numbers) change, it’s better to have out there.”
Camp said he’s been pushing for numbers for more than a year.
“Logic would tell you they’ve gotta have some rough ideas,” he said.
City wish list
Should President-elect Barack Obama succeed in getting a barrel of money for infrastructure projects nationwide, Lincoln has a wish list ready.
The city has $45 million worth of projects that it says would create 318 jobs and could be under contract within six months, if the feds shake the piggy bank in our direction.
The state is also preparing a list — about $250 million for 30 projects. But state officials say they cannot release that list.
The city’s projects are:
* $15 million to replace local dollars slated for the Antelope Valley Project, which would free up city dollars for such projects as 14th Street north of Interstate 80; 56th Street from Old Cheney to Pine Lake and Old Cheney from 70th to 84th streets.
* $6 million to mill and overlay downtown streets and replace traffic signals.
* $19.4 million to rehabilitate more than 175 blocks of arterial streets.
* $2.8 million to replace obsolete traffic signals at 20 intersections.
* $100,000 to install cameras at 10 intersections to improve traffic flow.
* $1 million to install digital message signs at 16 intersections.
* $1.1 million to install fiber and conduit for 10 traffic communication projects.
He said it
“Even the blind pig finds the acorn once in awhile.” — W. Don Nelson, former adviser to several governors and senators, after being complimented on his comments during a recent Lincoln Electric System meeting.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
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The only acts this venue will draw is country joe and his fish, they can play at the event center on 84th, the horse smell won't bother them.
The city leaders need to get their heads on straight and understand that there are more layoffs coming and people will not be able to afford this kind of waste. "
Camp voted to hold impact fees level. That is helping to inflate land values in the county. If we are the majority in the county, then we should be the majority in getting benefits of infrastructure. You can't have it both ways. Wake up, Jon. I don't care who's donating to your campaign. "
greed. Traffice lights need replacing? Traffic signs downtown? Are
you kidding me. I knew when Obama started slinging money, the termites
would come out of the woodwork by the millions!! It will be just like
medicare, the doctors and hospitals have spent and bill ALL THEY CAN to
get their pot of gold. Look what the greedy have done with the bail out
money. You compare Lincoln with thousands of cities & towns in this
U.S. (and I've been there) Lincoln would think they live on the streets
of gold. Lincoln doesn't know what a POTHOLE looks like. A little tiny
crack and Lincoln people are screaming to the top of their voices. Sadly
the mayor and his "friends" will have that arena whether people have lost
half their savings, starve or whatever. Their are retireds that are
hanging on by a thread, but greedy ole Lincoln could care less, they want
the rest ya got. I know several who have moved hoping their houses will
sell soon because they can see the writing on the wall!!!! This city
couldn't wait to get their fingers on the jail tax money, you could read
it between the lines like a neon sign!! I have never lived in a city that
I distrust the leaders completely - ever!!! "
With sales tax revenue falling wouldn't it be nice to have those restaurants back? And maybe another 50,000 sqft at the new Wally World would have helped as well. What logic could Seng have employed to limit the size of a super store so close to the event center? "