Multiple event cancellations creates financial hardship for Omaha

Multiple event cancellations creates financial hardship for Omaha

MAHA FESTIVAL HASOFFICIALLY BEENCANCELED DUE TOCORONAVIRUSCONCERNS.THIS ADDS TO THELONG LIST OF MAJOREVENTS OMAHA WILLNOW NOT BE ABLE TOHOST.AS THECANCELATIONSCONTINUE TO PILE UP,THE OMAHA CITYBUDGET KEEPSTAKING A HIT.REPORTER RUTAULICINAITE HAS MOREON THE CITY BUDGETAND WHAT POSSIBLECHANGES COULD BECOMING."WITH THE LOSS OFCOLLEGE WORLDSERIES, BIRSHIREHATHAWAY, SWIMTRIALS, NCAA, THEHOTELS ARE CLOSEDTHE RESTAURANTSARE CLOSED.WE ARE LOOKING INTHE MULTI - I DON'TEVEN WANT TO SAY ITAT THIS TIMEBECAUSE IT'S SO HIGHWHAT WE'REPREDICTING." THEENTIRE COUNTRY ISFACING FINANCIALHARDSHIP IN THEFACE OFCORONAVIRUS.AND OMAHA IS NOEXCEPTION, THEGENERAL CITYBUDGET TAKING HITAFTER HIT AS THEMAJOR EVENTCANCELLATIONSCONTINUE PILING UP.MAYOR "THIS IS ASEVER HIT TO OURGEENRAL FUNDBUDGET.THAT'S THE ONE THATFUNDS ALL THE CITYDEPARTMENTS.A SEVERE HIT TO ITRIGHT NOW."BRINKER HARDING -OMAHA CITYCOUNCILMEMBER,DISTRICT 6 "THEGENERAL FUND ISGENERALLY ABOUT$420 MILLION IS WHATTHE BUDGET WAS FORTHIS YEAR.OF THAT, ABOUT $172MILLION IS FROMSALES TAX." $172MILLION DOLLARSTHAT THE CITY HADBUDGETTED TOCOLLECT IN SALESTAX THIS YEAR.WITH BUSINESSESTEMPORARILYCLOSING AND MAJOREVENTS NOTBRINGING LARGECROWDS TO THEAREA, THAT REVENUEIS UP IN THE AIR."WE HAVE NO WAY OFKNOWING THEMAGNITUDE OF WHATTHAT AMOUNT MIGHTBE BUT WE'RE GOINGTO START MAKINGTHOSE PLANS ANDCONSIDERATIONS FORHOW TO ADDRESSTHAT ISSUE FOR THATSHORTFALL." THOSEPLANS COULDINCLUDE CUTS INSPENDING ANDLAYOFFS."OMAHA WILLRECOVER.OMAHA WILL DO FINELONGTERM.BUT IT'S GOING TO BECHALLENGING ANDTHERE WILL BE SOMECUTS IN CITYGOVERNMENT.THERE WILL HAVE TOBE.AND THERE MAY BE, ICERTAINLY DON'TWANT TO SAYWEATHER THERE WILLOR WILL NOT BE A TAXINCREASE BUT WE ALLHAVE TO GET READYFOR A LITTLE PAIN."FIRE AND POLICEMAKE UP ALMSOT TWOTHIRDS OF THEGENERAL FUNDBUDGET.BUT OFFICIALS SAYPUBLIC SAFETY IS THECITY'S NUMBER ONEPRIORITY."BASIC CITY SERVICESWILL BE MAINTAINED.AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISNUMBER ONE ON THATLIST." THERE COULDBE FEDERAL AID THATOMAHA IS ELIGIBLEFOR, BUT THAT'S STILLUP IN THE AIR ASWELL.ALONG WITH HOWTHE CITY WILLFINANCIALLYRECOVER."WE WANT TOCONTINUE THE CITYOPPERATIONS WEWANT TO KEEP ALLOUR EMPLOYEES, BUTTHE BIG QUESTION ISHOW ARE WE GOINGTO DO IT RIGHT NOW?"REPORTING INOMAHA, RUTAULCINAITE, 3NN.NOR