Mayor addresses the Omaha City Council regarding 2022 budget; property tax rates expected to go down

During a press briefing earlier in the day, Stothert revealed that property tax rates for city residents will go down 2% next year.

AT SIX.THANKS FOR JOINING USTONIGHT.THE BIG STORY OF THE DAY...IS MAYOR JEAN STOTHERTPRESENTING HER PROPOSED 20-22BUDGET TO THE CITY COUNCIL.THE BUDGET INCLUDESINCREASES IN FUNDING IN ALMOSTALL DEPARTMENTS.3 NEWS NOW REPORTER ALSAYSCURTIS GIVES US A BREAK DOWN OFTHE BUDGET AND HOW IT IMPACTSAT HOME.

BMAYOR STOTHERT’S PROPOSED BUDGETFOR 2022 HAS A GENERAL FUND OF456 MILLION DOLLARS, A NEARLY 3AND A HALF PERCENT INCREEASFROM 2021.THE BUDGET FOR 2022 WILL BE ONEPOINT TWO BILLION DOLLARS.MAYOR STOTHERT SAYS THE BUDGETFOCUSES ON RECOVERY REINVESTMENTAND REBUILDING FROM THEPAEMNDIC.HER MAIN FOCUS IN HER BUDGETPROPOSAL WAS A 2 PERCENTREDUCTION IN THE PROPERTY TAXRATE.

THIS IS THE THIRD TAX RATEREDUCTION SINCE 2015.I THINK THAT WE’VE DONE ITTHREE TIMES AND I THINK THATSALRELY SIGNINIFCNT THE LEVY ISTHE LOWEST ITS BEEN IN 20 YESARI THINK THATS SIGNIFICANT WERY TTO LOWER THE PROPERTY TAX RATETHAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVERWHENEVER WE CANON A HOUSE VALUED AT 200THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE LEVY IN2022 WILL BE 938 DOLLARSCOMPARED TO 958 DOLLARS ISTHYEAR.THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN ANINCREASE IN THEIR VALUATIONTHEIR PROPERTY TAX WILL GO LEROWBUT MANY PEOPLE SAY THE VALUE OFTHEIR HOMES HAVE GONE UP - SO INTHE END THEY WILL STILL BEPAYING MORE NEXT YEAR.OF YOUR PROPERTY TAX, 61 PERCENTGOES TO EDUCATION, 13 GOES TODOUGLAS COUNTY, 5 PERCENT GOESTO OTHER TAX ENTITIES AND 21PERCENT GOES TO THE CITY.THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL GET A3.25 PERCENT INCREASE IN THEIRBUDGET TOTALING ABOUT 170MILLION DOLLARS.I SAID LAST YEAR THADET FUNDINGTHE POLICE WAS RECKLESS ANDIRRESPONSIBLE AND I WOULD NOT DOIT WE NEED TO FUND THE POLICEDEPARTMENT ADEQUATELY YOU CANNOT HAVE A SAFE CITY WITHOUT LAWENFORCEMENTTHE MONEY WILL GO TOWARDSFUNDING THE PROGRAM THAT PAIRSMENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WITHPOLICE, RETAINING THE CALLCENTER, AS WELL AS PURCHASINGNEW CRUISERS.WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTPROGRAM MONEY, MAYOR STOTHERTWOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT A NEWPUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS.THE BUILDING THEY’RE USING NOWIS VERY OUTDATED ITS’ FULL OFASBESTOS WHICH CONCERNS US ASMANY OLD BUILDINGS ARE ITSREALLY INEFFICIENT IF YOU’VEBEEN IN THERE AND SEEN THE MAINLOBBY ITS FRONT DESK HOWINEFFICIENT THAT RUNS ITSCROWDEDTHE BUILDING WILL POSSIBLY HOUSEBOTH POLICE AND FIREDEPARTMENTS.IF THEY BUILD A WHOLE NEWBUILDING IT MAY COST MORE THAN100 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE MAYORSAYS THEY WILL TAKE PUBLIC INPUTAND LOOK AT WAYS TO FUND IT.(STAND UP)NOW TH TATHE CITY COUNCIL HASTHE BUDGET THEY’LL SPEND A FEWWEEKS REVIEWING IT AND MAKGINANY CHANGES THEY DEEM NECESSARY.THE BUDGET WILL GO BACK ANDFORTH BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCILAND THE MAYOR A FEW TIMES BEFORESHE ULTIMATELY SIGNS IT.REPORTING IN OMAHA ALYSSA CUISRT3 NEWS NOW.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLDA PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUETDGAND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMON AUGUST THIRD AT 630.THAT PUBLIC MEETING WILL BEHELD IN THE LEGISLATIVE