Post Tagged with: "state/legislature"

Tax authority may be ‘gone with the wind’

Tax authority may be ‘gone with the wind’

 

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha may win his efforts to rescind the city’s authority to impose an extra half-cent of local sales taxes.

Two of our pals in Lincoln — Joe Duggan and Paul Hammel — report that similar efforts, aimed at all Nebraska cities, failed twice earlier this legislative session. But a late 30-5 vote on Tuesday gives Chambers a victory on his third attempt to repeal his city’s taxing authority.

“This is a righteous and just vote that was taken today, and it removes a cloud from above the heads of poor and limited-income people,” Chambers said afterward.

The City of Omaha’s official position was to retain the taxing authority, which the Legislature passed last year over the governor’s veto. Omaha elected officials have not yet sought to increase the sales tax, which would require a vote of the people. The amendment was attached to a bill providing incentives for wind energy, which must now pass final reading and obtain Gov. Dave Heineman’s signature before it becomes law.

Duggan and Hammel also say the stance of Omaha Mayor-elect Jean Stothert, who opposes the half-cent law, also influenced Tuesday’s surprising vote.

May 22, 2013 Read More
Suttle, Chambers spar over inmate furloughs

Suttle, Chambers spar over inmate furloughs

Mayor Jim Suttle was in Lincoln this week, pushing state lawmakers to end the practice of letting some inmates out for furloughs or early release halfway into their sentences.

As Joe Duggan reported, Suttle has been talking about the issue since September, when an inmate on furlough — a gang member with a long record — was shot and killed by police in north Omaha. He says Legislative Bill 379, which would keep inmates convicted of weapons-related crimes or multiple felonies out of contention for furloughs– would make the city safer.

But Suttle was up against other notable Omaha politicians, including Sen. Ernie Chambers, who said cutting off furloughs and the possibility of early release for inmates with good behavior will lead to prison overcrowding. He also had to make his case to Sen. Brad Ashford, the Judiciary Committee chairman, who is hoping to unseat Suttle in this spring’s mayorl election.

February 28, 2013 Read More
Bruning weighs in on LGBT law, HRC condemns move

Bruning weighs in on LGBT law, HRC condemns move

As expected, Attorney General Jon Bruning’s office weighed in on March’s controversial City Council vote to protect gay and transgender residents from discrimination.

In a legal opinion, Bruning said state law does not grant cities the authority to create new protected classes. Bruning’s office wrote that cities only have power to create ordinances that pertain to protected classes defined by state law. Those include gender, marital status, race and national origin.

The memo, released Friday, would not overturn the council’s amendments to anti-discrimination laws, City Attorney Paul Kratz said. City attorneys also disagree with Bruning’s arguments.

Still, the opinion from the Attorney General’s Office could embolden groups opposed to the law that might seek to have it overturned in court or at the ballot box. Al Riskowski, head of the Nebraska Family Council, warned Omaha could be targeted by lawsuits if it tries to enforce the law.

Now the country’s largest gay rights advocacy organization has weighed in.

“Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning’s opinion is motivated by politics rather than sound law,” said Sarah Warbelow, the state legislative director for the Human Rights Campaign.

“Unlike states such as Oklahoma or Virginia, Nebraska does not have a legal tradition of restricting municipal actions. Fortunately, the Attorney General’s opinion is purely advisory and is not binding on the municipalities or the courts. It will, however, provide fuel to the opponents of equality who would like to challenge Omaha’s recent non-discrimination ordinance in court,” Warbelow said.

Bruning is also the Republican front-runner in Nebraska’s U.S. Senate race.

Stick with us for updates. As always, you’re welcome to sound off with your views here.

May 4, 2012 Read More
Higher sales tax? Not so fast

Higher sales tax? Not so fast

It looks like there will be no fast track on a higher sales tax in Omaha.

After the Legislature gave the proposal its final approval this week – by overriding the governor’s veto – I called Omaha City Council members to get their take.

Three (Pete Festersen, Tom Mulligan and Jean Stothert) said they’re against putting a higher sales tax to a vote in Omaha.

The new law sets up the City Council as the first gatekeeper on any proposal. A super-majority, five out of seven members in Omaha’s case, would have to approve putting the issue on the ballot.

If three are opposed, any proposal is going nowhere for now. You can read my story here.

Is the idea dead? Not entirely. The Mayor’s Office plans to start talking with different sectors of the community about the issue.

So it might take more time and more debate before the issue comes before voters.

April 20, 2012 Read More
Voters may get a say on city building plan

Voters may get a say on city building plan

My story from today about the City of Omaha’s new $281 million building plan elicited some grumbles and groans from the commenters over on omaha.com.

“Omaha is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy the way it is now – we can’t afford these upgrades, plain and simple.”

“Sounds like time for our mayor to come up with a creative new tax to ram down our throats in order to fund all the new expenses.”

The way it looks now, Omaha voters just might get their say.

April 9, 2012 Read More
City boosts Florence, wants to do more

City boosts Florence, wants to do more

Sidewalks, parking will be improved. City hopes private investment follows.

 

Mayor Jim Suttle, Councilman Pete Festersen and Florence community leaders were excited at an announcement Friday about a two-block project to spruce up downtown Florence. The work is due to start in June.

Suttle said he’d like to get more projects going in the city’s historic business districts.

The $575,000 project will improve the Florence “streetscape” — dressing up the sidewalks, planting new landscaping and adding parking. It’s the kind of work Omaha has done along 24th Street in South Omaha, and similar to what is coming to Dundee.

At a Friday press conference, Suttle floated the idea of using city sales tax revenue to fund improvements in such business districts as Benson, downtown Elkhorn, Millard, along Park Avenue in midtown, along Vinton Street in south Omaha and a continuation of the Florence work.

But first, Omaha would need the Legislature’s help. A bill under consideration would give the city extra sales tax authority if voters approve.

Suttle said the city could ask voters to fund improvements in those business districts.

If that ended up on a ballot, would you go for that?

 

February 3, 2012 Read More
Ashford for mayor?

Ashford for mayor?

State Sen. Brad Ashford considering run for mayor

 

Omaha is more than a year out from the mayoral election, but get ready for candidates to start coming forward.

Lincoln bureau reporter Paul Hammel reports that State Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha, who will be term limited out of office at the end of 2014, is considering a run for Omaha mayor.

“The mayor’s job is an opportunity to continue to serve,” Ashford said.

Ashford recently changed his political registration from Republican to independent.

Mayor Jim Suttle, a Democrat, hasn’t said whether he’ll run for a second term.

So for now, we’re in kind of a pre-campaign mode.

February 2, 2012 Read More
Pooches and booze on Tuesday’s agenda

Pooches and booze on Tuesday’s agenda

A public hearing on changes to 'potentially dangerous' animal rules on tap Tuesday

 

Omaha residents who own animals labeled as “potentially dangerous” by city authorities could face fewer financial and legal hurdles to remove the designation from their pets’ records.

An ordinance proposed by City Council President Thomas Mulligan would automatically drop an offending animal’s “potentially dangerous” tag if the pet does not violate city provisions for two years after it’s been labeled as such. The proposed changes have a public hearing today.

The council will also vote on a resolution to voice support for a proposed state law to introduce further controls on liquor sales in certain areas.

LB829 would create “alcohol impact zones”, or geographic areas that are adversely affected by chronic public drunkenness or illegal activity associated with alcohol.

Local governments would apply to the state to create such zones, and if approved, grant the state liquor control commission broad power to discourage such activity.

Local activists have been working to get such regulations passed for months.

Read Omaha.com this afternoon and Wednesday’s paper for more on each issue.

January 31, 2012 Read More
Oberst, local musicians oppose LB912

Oberst, local musicians oppose LB912

A group of musicians with local ties oppose a proposed state law

 

Conor Oberst and 16 other musicians want state lawmakers to kill a proposal to ban Omaha and other communities from passing their own anti-discrimination ordinances.

In a letter Tuesday, the musicians called it “deplorable and unacceptable” to attempt to block Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray from winning passage of an ordinance to ban discrimination against gay and transgender people. Gray has said he would propose such an ordinance this month or next.

The letter was sent to senators on the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. Others signers include members of The Faint, Mynabirds, Big Harp, So So Sailors and Honeybee & Hers.

A public hearing on LB 912 before the Judiciary Committee at the State Capitol has not yet been scheduled.

January 25, 2012 Read More
“The old saying is, If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Ken Bunger, former deputy city attorney for Omaha, on TIF bill

“The old saying is, If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Ken Bunger, former deputy city attorney for Omaha, on TIF bill

January 25, 2012 Read More