Newshound 9/26/1009

- Budget balanced, taxes hiked
- Shop and vote?


More after the jump ...

Tax hike
Council passes mayor's budget, includes 10 percent property tax increase, kills satellite and entertainment taxes

Omaha homeowners will see an additional 10 percent increase in their property taxes next year. The city council voted 4-2 to increase the tax levy with council members Pete Festersen and Jean Stothert casting the dissenting votes.

The tax rate will raise 4.2 cents for every $100 of valuation; a homeowner whose house is valued at $100,000 will pay an additional $42 on their property taxes ― from $434 to $476.

Of the 4.2 cent increase, 2.4 cents will be used to pay off debt, primarily from the Qwest Center. The rest would be used to help close the city's estimated $10 million budget shortfall, including making up for the failed entertainment tax and satellite TV inspection fee. The council unanimously killed those proposals during the meeting. Councilman Chris Jerram, who sponsored the proposals, said he hoped to revisit the measures after further discussions with industry opponents.

Jerram noted that the city's share of the property tax is about 20 percent; Omaha Public School's takes about 59 percent and about 12 percent goes to Douglas County. The city's property tax rate has not increased since 2002 and had been 33 percent lower than in 1994.

The council ultimately passed the budget that it submitted to the Mayor the previous week, but failed to override his two vetoes. Suttle vetoed the council's 2.5 day voluntary furlough for all city employees and $1 million cut for purchasing new police cruisers. An attempt to override the vetoes failed on a 3-3 vote. Suttle recently held a press conference to highlight the aging cruiser fleet. He said new cruisers could save the city money in the long run, as new cruisers would require less maintenance. The council had already cut around $8 million from the budget.

The council was required to submit a balanced budget, with a property tax rate, to the state by Sept. 20.

After the vote to approve his budget, Mayor Jim Suttle addressed the council to thank them for their hard work and shook hands with each council member. Councilman Chuck Sigerson, who last month suffered from a heart attack and stroke, was not present at the meeting.

Shop and vote?
Hall County voters could be the first in Nebraska to cast ballots at grocery stores, libraries and other non-traditional locations. If all goes well, the test-run for “satellite voting” may be expanded statewide; partisan divides killed the proposal three years ago, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Satellite voting allows voters to cast early ballots at convenient locations. Election officials on site can check a voters registration by computer and print the appropriate ballot. Iowa has allowed satellite voting for decades at places such as shopping malls and libraries.

Douglas County Elections Comissioner Dave Phipps told the World-Herald he opposed satellite voting because of the numerous ballot combinations offered in the county.

Benson student dies after football practice
Wilson Vili, 16, was sitting down to eat dinner in a park after football practice when he collapsed. The Benson High student was transported to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died, according to OPS officials. School officials do not yet know the cause of death.

UNL frat sanctioned
The Sigma Chi house in Lincoln was ordered to remain vacant until 2013. The suspension stems from hazing charges against the University of Nebraska – Lincoln fraternity. The suspension could be lifted in 2011 if the fraternity and its alumni board can demonstrate good behavior.