Wendy Birdsall, President of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce along with Todd Wiltgen were at Lincoln South Rotary on March 1.
There will be a ballot item during the next election - quarter cent sales tax increase. Everyone has a chance to learn about the initiative and vote as they see fit.
Wendy and Todd (pictured below) presented information from https://lincolnonthemove.com/.
This ballot issue includes:
- 1/4 cent sales tax increase for 6 years dedicated to street repair and construction.
- $13 million annually for improving and building streets.
- Funds can only be spent on streets
- 25% dedicated to build new streets for community growth
There was a coalition of citizens meeting on the topic and making recommendation. The fact that they were able to make a recommendation - bringing all of these groups to a agreement - is historic.
The Coalition met over a six-month period; took public comment and heard from technical experts; and reviewed documents, system analysis and budget needs as well as revenue generating mechanisms. Supported by City staff, the Coalition studied the transportation infrastructure issues facing the City, and delivered its final recommendations to the Mayor and City leaders on January 11, 2018.
Lincoln is know for quality of life - and having good streets will only support that. In Lincoln recently we were ranked:
3rd best quality of life Nerdwallet.com
4th Best City for Renters Smartasset.com
7th Most livable State Capital SmartAsset.com
#1 Best Place to find a Job
Top 10 Best Downtowns for Livability
Top 10 good places for trick-or-treating
Our street system is aging. 62.70% of the roads are over 20 years old. every year that we put off repairs, restoration and rebuilding the problem compounds by 5%.
The proposed sales tax increase will not fund everything but it will help fill the funding gap.
Other options considered:
1/2 cent tax - many opposed that much of a change
Property tax - would raise about $117 per household
Wheel tax - already one of the highest in the country; would nearly double; at lowest level would increase from $74 to $132
The plan would be implemented in all quadrants of the city. The map of streets needing repair and replacement is available from the City of Lincoln.
