Omaha Mayor presents her 2021 budget proposal

Omaha Mayor presents her 2021 budget proposal

AROUND A BUDGETSHORTFALL - DUE TO THECORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK ...MAYOR JEAN STOTHERTDELIVERED HER BUDGETFOR 20-21 TO THE OMAHACITY COUNCIL TODAY.THE BUDGET INCLUDES ASMALL INCREASE TOTHE POLICE BUDGET.THAT DIDN'T MAKE SOMEPEOPLE HAPPY TODAY.REPORTER JON KIPPERWAS AT THE COUNCILMEETING AND TELLS USABOUT THE REACTION.JENNY, MAYOR JEANSTOTHERT CALLS FORJUST OVER A ONEPERCENT INCREASE INTHE POLICEBUDGETSTOTHERT SAYSTHAT PAYS FOR MOREBODY CAMERAS ANDENSURES THERE'SENOUGH OFFICERS TOKEEP THE CITY SAFE.WHEN SHE ANNOUNCEDSHE WAS NOTDEFUNDING THE POLICEDEPARTMENT AT CITYCOUNCIL TODAY, THIS ISWHAT IT LOOKED LIKEOVERALL AROUND 15PEOPLE GOT KICKED OUTOF THE COUNCILMEETING FORDISRUPTING THESPEECH.STOTHERT ARGUES THATCRIME HAS GONE DOWNOVER THE LAST FEWYEARS BECAUSE THECITY HAS ADDED AROUND100 MORE POLICEOFFICERS.SHE SAYS IF THEY'REGOING TO 'DEFUNDPOLICE' IT WOULD HAVETO BE THOUGHT OUT...YEARS IN ADVANCE.CAN'T JUST TAKE ABUNCH OF POLICEOFFICERS AND LAYTHEM OFF AND SAY,'OH W'ERE GOINGTO START THINKINGABOUT SOMEPROGRAMS', YOUGOT TO HAVETHOSE FIRST ANDYOU GOT TO PROVETHAT THEY WORK.BEFORE YOU COULDEVER SAY, THAT WEDON'T NEED ANYPOLICE OFFICERSTHAT WE HAVENOW."THE MAYOR ALSO SAYSSHE WILL NOT INCREASEOR DECREASE TAXES IN2021.SHE SAYS SHE MADE THE2021 BUDGET ON THEBASIS THINGS THAT WEWILL BE OUT OF APANDEMIC IN 2021...BUT SAYS THE CITY CANBE FLEXIBLE IF THEYNEED TO BE.THE MAYOR SAYS ONEPART OF THE BUDGETWAS MADE DUE TO THERECENT PROTESTS.THE CITY WILL BE HIRINGA DIVERSITY, EQUITY ANDINCLUSIONMANAGER.THEIR JOBWILL BE TO HELP MAKECITY DEPARTMENTS,INCLUDING POLICE,MORE DIVERSE.IN OMAHA JON KIPPER3NNA MANDATORY MASKMANDATE HAS BEEN INPLACE IN THE CITY OFLINCOLN SINCEYESTERDAY, AFTERTHEIR MAYOR, LEIRONGAYLOR BAIRD, DECIDEDTO TAKE A PROACTIVEAPPROACH.TODAY MAYOR STOTHERTWAS ASKED IF A SIMILARMANDATE IS BEINGCONSIDERED IN OMAHA.SHE SAYS OMAHA CITYCODE DOESN'T ALLOWHER TO ORDER A MASKMANDATE...SAYING THE POWERRESIDES WITH THEGOVERNOR, ORDOUGLAS COUNTYHEALTH DIRECTOR ADIPOUR.SHE DID SAY, SHE HASHESITATIONS ABOUTREQUIRING MASKS.I DONT LIKE THAT ITBECOMES A LAW,THAT IT'S AMANDATE THATYOU HAVE TO WEARA MASK BECAUSETHEN, WHAT THATMEANS, IF YOUDON'T HAVE AMASK ON, YOU'RECOMMITTING ACRIME.THAT MEANS WEHAVE TO ENFORCEIT."A SPOKESPERSON WITHTHE DOUGLAS COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENTSAYS THEY ARECURRENTLYRESEARCHING, WHOEXACTLY HAS THEAUTHORITY ON THIS.GOVERNOR RICKETTS ISPURSUING LEGALCHALLENGES TOLINCOLN'S MANDATE.